“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13
People everywhere continually makes mistakes in how they deal with other people. There is always a person who will do or say the wrong thing to another person.
The world likes to look at situations where they have been done wrong and find away to punish that person or to get vengeance on that person. Many will just cut the person off and end the friendship or relationship. Others will try to cut the person down around others or get the person in trouble. A few will physically try to harm the person for the wrong done.
Paul is showing a different way, the way Jesus did it. That is you should forgive the person.
This verse starts out stating that you must bear with that person. The person who did something wrong may be a believer or not a believer, but either way he is either a child of God who knows it, or is a lost child of God. God has made that person and wants that person to know and be like Jesus.
If the person is a believer, the area she hurt you in may be the area she is struggling with and God is working on fixing. You must have patience as God works in her life.
While you are having that patience, you must be willing to forgive. This forgiveness is also the forgiveness that Jesus gave you. When you repented of your sins, Jesus cast them out as though they were never there. God no longer remembers the wrong you had done.
When you forgive someone, then forgive them from the heart. Don’t bring up the past. Don’t remind them of the wrongs done. Show the love and mercy of God to that person. You are supposed to be like Jesus, kind, gentle, humble, patient, loving, and forgiving.
Are you holding a grudge against someone? Do you still remember a past hurt that someone did to you years ago? Let it go and forgive them. Let God heal you. Let God take care of the wrongs done. Live a life of forgiveness as Jesus did.
I pray today that God will strengthen you to forgive those who have hurt you; that God will fill you with His love and mercy for others; that you will have the patience of Jesus; and that God will use you to draw many to Jesus.
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