Next Level

Next Level

Colossians 3: ¹³ Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.

 

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As we sat at the picnic table, someone knocked over a drink into “my” food. I pouted because I was a child. “Forgive” were the words given to me. After some cooling down time, I was able to let it go. After that incident, other people spilled stuff and I easily forgave. One day a bully punched me in the chest so hard I almost passed out.

 

• I had been attacked so “How am I supposed to forgive?” was my question.
• I could not fight back, but I wanted something “bad” to happen to the bully.
• I remembered the words “forgive” and I had to do it, reluctantly.

 

Paul addresses differences of opinions. One person had a way of doing things and another had an opposing way to do the same thing. This raised complaints. He provided a way to resolve the differences. “Forgive one another.”

 

My Observations

• There seems to be another level of forgiveness GOD wants me to reach.
• As life goes on, I seem to face a variety of situations and people who need me to forgive.
• GOD forgave me and wants me to forgive others, even when my complaint is justified.

 

Someone said “Forgive and forget”, but it is the “forget part that trips me up. I mean, I do remember what happened so did I not forgive? Having a good memory does not seem to be the problem. Holding back GOD’s love from someone who hurt me is the problem. Why forgive in the first place?  Because the LORD has forgiven me.

 

HE wants him or her to be forgiven too. HE knows humans will have differences in approach, values and opinions. HE also knows this will cause quarrels. HIS message still needs to be spread to everyone. The only way to spread the message is to drop my “offenses”, “defenses”  and be ready to forgive those who are hard to forgive. I am glad GOD forgave me and teaches me to forgive, little by little.

 

Challenge

• What complaint does the writer speak about that does not warrant forgiveness?
• Have you ever been stuck on doing things a certain way and have a difference in opinion that you cannot let go of?
• Will you take purpose into your relationships and forgive those who may be difficult to forgive?

Offense Defense

Offense Defense

2 Corinthians 2: ⁵ Now, if anyone has made somebody sad, he has not done it to me but to all of you—in part, at least. (I say this because I do not want to be too hard on him.) ⁶ It is enough that this person has been punished in this way by most of you. ⁷ Now, however, you should forgive him and encourage him, in order to keep him from becoming so sad as to give up completely. ⁸ And so I beg you to let him know that you really do love him. ⁹ I wrote you that letter because I wanted to find out how well you had stood the test and whether you are always ready to obey my instructions. ¹⁰ When you forgive people for what they have done, I forgive them too. For when I forgive—if, indeed, I need to forgive anything—I do it in Christ's presence because of you, ¹¹ in order to keep Satan from getting the upper hand over us; for we know what his plans are.

 

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Seeing the car dart in front of me gave me offense. I couldn’t do anything about it, so I carried that offense down the road. I missed the light I usually made and when I got to the parking lot I could see a car slip into my usual spot. I was offended. In many meetings, people kept saying offensive things like asking for the day off when we had a lot of work to do. Everyone was pretty offensive that day.

 

• I had a day that I wanted to be angry.
• I had a day that I carried one offense to the next.
• I had a day that I was looking for fights and I easily found them.

 

Paul writes about a specific person who offended many. He did not justify the offenders actions, nor did he say the punishment given was too harsh. He did however limit the offense time for a greater purpose. He wants people to forgive to keep the offender from giving up completely after receiving reasonable punishment. Causing people to give up is a plan of Satan.

 

My Observations

• When I get offended, GOD wants me to take a moment to give it to HIM.
• When I get offended, GOD wants me to see if it is a tactic of Satan to throw me off my praise.
• When I get offended, GOD wants me to understand that forgiveness is the only way from the bondage of hate to the freedom of love.

 

Love sets me free. I mean, when I set my prayers on the offender, I must realize that I am going to the thrown of GOD. I have two choices; “Hurt my offender” OR “Forgive my offender.” The latter of the two is the choice GOD wants me to make all the time, because HE did the same for me.

 

But this is not easy. It sometimes takes a little time and maturity to forgive. Quite honestly, sometimes it doesn’t happen. BUT GOD understands that too. The more I can forgive, the freer I can be. I am glad GOD can make my days stress free when I let go of offenses. HE also enables me to sleep by not being offended.

 

Challenge

• What do you notice about the offender in this passage?
• Have you ever messed up so bad that you needed to be forgiven?
• Does your offended state offend others?
• What offenses can you let go of so you can be free as CHRIST has set you free?