Make allowances for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, The Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13
Did you know that forgiveness is the highest form of mercy and love?
It is also one of the hardest things to do. When we forgive someone that hurt us, we often feel as if we are giving that person a free pass. That we have allowed them to get away with harming us.
Yet…isn’t this essentially what God has done for us?
How many times have we offended Him with gossip, slander, misplaced anger, and sinful actions?
And when we ask for forgiveness, He doesn’t offer us a list of reasons why we should not be offered grace. When we offer a sincere, humble apology for our transgressions, He doesn’t offer a rebuttal of why it is not accepted.
He forgives. He accepts us freely.
We ALL have our faults. We ALL bring pain and hurt to our relationships, and offend others in our pain without meaning to at times. We have been short in our responses, spoken harshly, and said things out of anger and frustration we wish we could take back.
Wouldn’t you want to be offered grace when asked? Wouldn’t you want your heartfelt apology to be heard?
Then be an example. Apologize. Sincerely. If you have hurt someone, make a vow to NOT repeat the offense. “Go and sin no more.”
And if it is offered to you-that apology? Accept it. Just as God accepted yours.
Straight Up: Messy Truth 