Today’s Scripture: Colossians 3:12-15
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Today’s Devotional
We’re sticking with this passage for one more day. There is just so much here!
Yesterday we talked about forbearance – making allowance for other’s faults. Today we need to look at the other side of that coin: forgiveness.
Forgiveness and forbearance are different – but you cannot have one without the other. As we practice forbearance with others – we will forgive. As we forgive – we practice forbearance.
Jesus spoke a lot about forgiveness. We forgive because we are forgiven.
Unforgiveness is something that our false self likes to hold on to. It’s part of us feels the need for revenge, the need to nurse a grudge, the need to focus all our hurt feelings on the person who did the hurting. But unforgiveness is toxic and creates a bondage in us that is not representative of the true self we are in Christ.
Forgiveness is not forgetting. Nor is forgiveness a removal of consequences. It is an act that exposes our true self and allows us to break the ropes that tie us to our false self. Forgiveness is not for the other person – it’s for us.
Think through your life today. Is there some unforgiveness that has you trapped in your false self? Maybe today start the process of uniting those knots.
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