Bear With Each Other

Have you discovered it is easy to be judgmental yet very difficult to be forgiving? You would probably think I had gone crazy if all you ever heard from me were “happy ever after” stories because life simply isn’t that way.

I have spent the last 10 months arguing with officials at a school Rivers of the World (ROW) supports in Latin America. The dispute centered on me trying to convince these officials that they must create a system of financial accountability and transparency.

This battle has been just awful. It has cost the school a lot of support and has cost me many friendships. After months of dispute, I have now watched these school officials try to turn this situation around. As they were trying to correct the situation, it dawned on me that I had been acting smugly instead of being supportive.

Dear Christian, pause a second and ask yourself, “Is there someone in my life who has offended me whom I have not forgiven? Is there an individual in my life whom I have hurt who needs to hear from me I’m sorry?” If these situations apply to you, then get on with it, but don’t just forgive them in your heart, demonstrate that forgiveness by loving them and supporting them.

We are instructed in Colossians 3:13 to:

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Let us go and do likewise.

Category: Forgiveness