Jesus & Forgiveness: Lesson 2 | Devotion 3

Your task today is to memorize this verse:

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” - Matthew 6:14-15

Write it down if you need to. Say it to yourself a million times. Listen to it on your phone. Do what you need to do to hide this verse in your heart.

Then, put it to use. Let it drive your actions and thoughts today.

Jesus & Forgiveness: Lesson 2 | Devotion 2

You were asked this week in your time of Bible study to think of at least one person to whom you need to extend forgiveness.

So, here’s the question: Have you done this? Have you thought of someone who has wronged you but to whom you haven’t extended forgiveness to?

The bigger question may be, “What are you waiting for?”

Listen, forgiveness is hard. Everyone knows that. But just because it’s hard doesn’t give you an excuse to not do it.

Trust in God. Lean on the Spirit. Be bold in your faith. And do the hard work of forgiving whom you need to forgive.

Jesus & Forgiveness: Lesson 2 | Devotion 1

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. ‘This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.’” - Matthew 18:32-35

This parable is a strong flavor, isn’t it?

Let’s just call it like it is: Jesus wasn’t messing around. He basically says that if people think they can take advantage of God’s forgiveness and treat others harshly, they have another thing coming. God expects us to treat others with the same level of mercy He shows to us.

Now, we might think this is a pretty tall task. But it shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Maybe our hesitant reaction to this parable comes because we don’t truly believe how sinful we are and don’t fully realize the depths of God’s forgiveness. Maybe if we saw ourselves for who we really are we’d be much more inclined to forgive others more readily.

So, the next time you’re not feeling very forgiving, remember: God expects you to forgive others as He forgives us.

Jesus & Forgiveness: Lesson 1 | Devotion 3

Read the following quotes:

Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.C. S. Lewis

Forgiveness is a funny thing — it warms the heart and cools the sting.William A. Ward

These two quotes kind of represent the two sides of forgiveness, don’t they? IN a way they are opposites. Which one do you identify with the most? Do you find that it is easier to forgive or be forgiven?

Pray today that God will give you the strength to forgive even though it is a painful process at times. Pray that God would give you the heartwarming feeling that comes when you’ve been forgiven or when you have extended forgiveness to others.