Lack of forgiveness

LACK OF FORGIVENESS

Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’  Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart. (Matthew 18:33-35 NLT)

What is lack of forgiveness?

  • It’s to pay the price at all costs, for the person who hurt you to suffer the same or something worse than what they did to you.
  • It’s to keep hate, resentment, and desires of revenge against someone.
  • It is an open door to the devil and demons to destroy your spiritual life.

Who do we get hurt by? When we receive an offense or betrayal from a loved one, for example:

  • A father or mother that abandoned you when you were little.
  • A sibling that rejected you when you were young or would make fun of you.
  • A pastor or leader that gave a bad testimony.
  • A friend that betrayed you.
  • A husband or wife that was unfaithful.
  • A child that uses drugs, etc.

What is forgiveness?

  • Action and result of freeing someone of a debt, punishment, or obligation.
  • We should forgive not only because the other person becomes free, but also because we become free.

It benefits us to forgive!

Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’  Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart. (Matthew 18:33-35 NLT)

Think about it:

Do you have thoughts of revenge against someone?
Who do you need to forgive?
In what way do you think lack of forgiveness has affected you?