Articles
Just Let It Go
People can sometimes be heartbreaking. We have all been let down, disappointed, or betrayed by people — even those close to us. But as tough as it can sometimes, people can also be amazing! A word fitly spoken, an comforting pat on the back, encouragement when you are down, we need one another. What do we do in those times when we are let down by others? Peter said, “Do not return evil for evil, but give a blessing instead” (1 Pet. 3:9). That is a description of forgiveness.
To forgive means to let go of a just cause. It means to let go of the bitterness that can take root after we have been hurt. It means that, even when we have every right (we think) to be upset and hold that wrong against the other, that we let it go, never to bring it up again as a debt against them. But it’s tough to do this. It’s a tough challenge to truly forgive. So how do we do it?
Remember who you are. You are God’s servant, and He has forgiven you! God has been good to each one of us, and we have come from sin and darkness. We ought to live humbly, give selflessly, and think carefully before we take aim at someone who has wronged us.
Guard your mouth. That is, take care of how you use it and whether you allow your emotions to run your decisions. It is a fact that we do not have to say everything we think. But when we do speak, we must speak the truth in love. Use appropriate timing in your discussions. While the right word at the right time is a beautiful thing, the wrong word at the wrong time is the recipe for disaster.
Guard your heart. Remember the words Paul used to teach Timothy: kind, able to teach, patient, gentle, correction opposition (2 Tim. 2:22-23). If Timothy was expected to use those attitudes when dealing with those in error, how much more should we use them when dealing with our neighbors and fellow Christians?
At the end of the day, Christ paid the price for us when we opposed him. We were his enemies, yet he died so we may be forgiven. Nothing else on earth will ever come close to the amount of hurt and pain God our Creator felt when His creation turned from Him to sin. So, next time you are tempted to hold on to your anger, to keep that grudge against another… just let it go.
