The Lighthouse Devotional
Author: John Blackman, Jr.
SCRIPTURE VERSE
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Col 3:13 NIV).
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Forgiveness is an essential aspect of Christian living—one with which, I must confess, I have struggled over the years. I have generally been able to forgive the wrongdoing of others against me. But, sometimes, some niggling offense proves difficult for me to ignore. Admittedly, however, I feel a sense of release and calm when I can look dispassionately at such circumstances and simply walk away, bearing no malice.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Jesus is the epitome of forgiveness. He faces a horrible and excruciating fate on the Cross, but he still asks his Heavenly Father to forgive his oppressors since they do not know the true extent of their deeds (Luke 23:34).
Jesus echoes his forgiving actions in his instructions in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:12). He teaches us how to pray and indicates that forgiving others is critical to our Christian experience and growth. We want our Heavenly Father to forgive us; however, we do not generously forgive fellow believers, who are not always aware of the hurt they have caused us, or that they have caused us any harm in the first place. Paul adds, “And over all these virtues [i.e., compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness] put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Col 3:14). So, we may conclude that forgiveness is a step toward love, which is the bedrock of our Christian experience and the reason that Christ died for us (John 3:16).
EXHORTATION
Let us, therefore, ask God to help us forgive, as it releases us from spiritual, mental, and psychological bondage. Forgiveness is also a crucial component of being at peace with our neighbors. It may take time and effort to achieve this step, but ultimately, it leads to our comfort and inner peace.
PRAYER
Father, we thank You for forgiving us for our cruelty to Jesus at Calvary. Help us learn from his example and forgive others so we might experience real spiritual progress and growth in our daily lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.