Harboring bitterness is like sipping poison and waiting for the other person to die.
Yesterday morning in Sunday School we talked about being forgiving and being unforgiving. When you don’t forgive someone, you are going against what God has told you to do and what He has performed Himself. You are taking the place of God, holding “higher” standards of forgiveness than He does. You hurt your relationships with others, because nobody likes to be around a bitter, vengeful person. You hurt your very relationship with God when you do not forgive (Matthew 6:14-15).
Forgiveness can be hard. But look at how much God forgave. God sent His own Son, who willingly came, to die for your sins (Luke 23:33-34). If you are saved by the grace of God and have eternal salvation, then God forgave you. God made it possible to forgive every sin that every person has and will commit. If you do not forgive someone else, you are greedily keeping forgiveness to yourself and you are a hypocrite.
Forgive those who have wronged you. Get over the offense, and get over yourself. But your sinful human nature won’t let you do this by yourself. You must have God’s help. He is THE expert at forgiveness. God always forgives (1 John 1:9).
For more Scripture reference: Matthew 18:21-35; Mark 11:25-26; Luke 17:3-4
God forgives. You are not better than God. Gettest thou over it, and find the relief, release, and peace of forgiving someone. Experience the freedom of letting go of that heavy weight of bitterness.