Forgive

Colossians 3:13 NLT 
Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 

There is nobody that is not subject to being offended. And none of us are faultless. We try to always do what is honest and true, but mess up as we do. We open our mouth at the wrong time and say something out of reaction instead of love. Others do the same with us.

I am speaking to our interactions with all people, not just Christians. It happens in church, on the job, and with those who live around us. No matter who it is we must make allowance for them. We do not know what is going on in their life; what just happened at home or on the ride over.

Forgiving is more than saying you are sorry. How many times does an "I am sorry" end with a "but"? But you shouldn't have... It is more than mere words, it is a forgiveness that comes from the heart out of God's love for all His children.

In the heat of the moment our focus is not on God and when that happens we are in sin. God forgave us of all sin when His Son, Jesus, went to the cross for us. He remembers our sin no more. But He hurts for us when we sin, because sin hurts us and our Father God does not does not want us hurting. We repent by changing our focus from our sin back to God. This is new covenant repentance. We are covered by the blood of Jesus and no longer have to sacrifice an animal or bird; Jesus became the sacrifice for us, forever.

Father God, help me to keep my focus on you when confronted with those issues that would have brought me to anger and speak poorly to others. Help me to see them as you see them and show Your love to them in my silence. Give me encouraging words to say in response. In Jesus name I pray.