Unforgiving

 You may have decided to read through your Bible in the year 2012 if so may I say that you will not be sorry for doing so. As you read you will see words like “forgiveness” it will not be on every page but you will see it for it is mentioned 7 times. You will also see the word “forgiving” you will have to look closer for it for it is only mention 4 times. Then you will see the word “Forgiven” it will be easier to find for you will see it 42 times. You will also see the word “forgive” and you will find in 56 times. Now I have told you basically about the word forgive but there are some other words that you will not find. Nowhere in the Bible will you find these words Unforgiven, Unforgiving and Unforgotten; wonder why?  I heard it said that “to have an unforgiving heart is like taking poison and expecting someone else to die.” How true that is, someone says something or does something to us and we refuse to forgive them and we allow that bitterness to grow in our heart over a period of time. It never hurts the one that has done us wrong it only hurts the one holding the grudge. There have been times in my life that others have not treated me right. I remember a few years back a man owed me some money, he kept promising to pay me but he never did. I didn’t realize it at first but I allowed a root of bitterness to infiltrate my heart and every opportunity I had I told others how I had been mistreated. The Lord began to deal with my heart about the matter. I remember one day as I was about to tell another about my experience with this gentleman the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said “don’t say anything.”  I am sorry to say I just could not resist the opportunity to share my bitterness so I did. Then there came another time to share my bitterness and the same thing happened but this time I kept my mouth shut. The Lord was teaching me a very value lesson in forgiveness. After all that He has forgiven me for how could I be so angry and hold bitterness in my heart and then be so happy to destroy this man in front of others. What if the Lord did that to me? Every time the Lord had an opportunity that He would belittle me in front of others, how would that make me feel? Well, He wants me to have a forgiving heart. Could that be the reason he didn’t mention any words with a “un” on the word forgive? He didn’t allow the word unforgotten because He didn’t want you or I to think that He had forgotten anyone of us. So that day I learned that where there is no wood the fire will go out.

Proverbs 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Ephesians 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Ephesians 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. If I will forgive others the way Christ forgave me my words will not be hurtful or angry and I will not be a talebearer or one that spreads gossip.