Forgiveness
We are always told to forgive. We wonder is it really possible to forgive, all the evil ever done to us. Some things are done to us so vile, evil, hurtful and despicable. Yet, we are told to forgive and we have to do this because we are obedient children and we love our FATHER.
Deep down , we know that it is not right to harbor ill feelings and ill will towards others, but it is not easy to let people off the hook. We know we must forgive and it also helps to forget. How can we accept this teaching of JESUS that we must forgive?
The story of David and Saul helps us to grasp this concept. Now, Saul was king and he had fallen out of favor completely with GOD and GOD had found himself a king after HIS own heart and had him anointed by the same Samuel the prophet.
Saul knew this and was intent on killing David. Saul attempted to kill David by pinning him to the wall, sending him to battle with the philistines once on the pretext of getting foreskins as dowry. Saul also lied to David concerning the marriage of David to his daughters and in one case, he even gave the daughter to another man. Then Saul set out on expeditions to hunt down and kill David. At one point things were so bad that David had to pretend to be a lunatic in front of the philistines for his own survival. Imagine that! The mighty David acting like a lunatic before the philistines, the people of Goliath! Beloved, things can get thick and I mean thick. All this because Saul was angry and jealous of him. David had the right to be flaming angry forever and ever after all he was innocent. Should Saul have landed in his hands, we would understand if David retaliated heavily. But David did not do this.
David never dreamed of being king. It was GOD who saw it fit that David should be king, yet David was , at that season, in big trouble. How did David handle it?
i. David knew, understood and respected authority. He respected GOD, Samuel and Saul. Although, The LORD was with HIM, David knew his place. The same Samuel who anointed him had anointed Samuel. The pit Saul was in, could one day be his pit. He had to be wise and clever and not plant what he did not want to reap because he knew one day he would also be king. David looked ahead at the promises in the future. Beloved, don’t throw away your future because you feel that you must retaliate, you must pay back. Many people have paid too great a price for paying back and taking matters into their own hands.
Beloved, look at the people who have hurt you. Look at them carefully. One day you will be in their shoes. You are in danger of doing exactly the same thing they have done to you and someone will do to you exactly what you do to them. As someone said what goes round comes around. This saying works well with two wrongs don’t make a right. That’s why JESUs said, if someone slaps you, turn the other cheek. So that the day you are doing the slapping, the other cheek is turned for you to continue the slapping. But if you slap back, you will never have peace al the days of your life. Beloved, GOD is for you. These commandments and rules are there for your benefit. So, forgive, it may be hard but worthwhile especially in the long run.
ii. David purposed in his heart never to raise his hand against Saul. In fact David called Saul, “ GOD’s anointed”. He must have known that Saul was in trouble with GOD but that was between GOD and Saul. David did not take advantage of this. Several times David could have easily dealt with Saul but he didn’t. He knew that some people self destruct and do not need your help in self destruction. As we see, Saul totally lost it and self destructed without any help from anyone. Saul himself did what The LORD forbade and that sealed his doom.
Beloved, don’t help those who hurt you in destroying themselves, they will do a great job of destroying themselves all by themselves. Recognize the fact that GOD is capable of handling everyone and everything according to HIS will. Beloved, like David, purpose in your heart, never to raise your hand against others. Purpose in your heart never to be a stumbling block for others especially if this person hurting you is in a place of authority. Especially if the authority involved some form of anointing by men of GOD. Even if the man is in the occult, Saul was somehow in the occult but still it did not give the license to David to strike him. Some things, beloved, are better left alone. Let GOD deal with it. HE said “HE is The LORD. Revenge is HIS. HE will repay”. Who can tell what the mind of GOD is? As we say here in Africa, GOD is not your age mate!
iii. David ran away from his tormentors. Occasionally, step away from those who hurt you. Yes, I know you are right and that you have been wronged, but so was David. He fled and went away and waited for The LORD’s deliverance. Great move I would say. History judges David favorably in spite of his other dramas. Everybody knows King David and I mean everybody and even JESUS didn’t mind being called SON of David. What an honor!
iv. David knew and accepted the teaching about the timing of The LORD. In HIS time, The LORD makes all things beautiful. HE will also make the situation in your life beautiful. Didn’t David become king? Didn’t he live a lasting legacy? Beloved, let go and let GOD. Forgive the person and let GOD handle it. What does this mean? It may well mean you doing nothing, looking like a foolish sitting duck waiting for your enemies to strike. But we are children of GOD, HE will avenge us.
v. David trusted that with or without Saul, the purposes of GOD for his life will be fulfilled. Beloved, with or without your enemies, the purposes of GOD for your life will be fulfilled. We fear that our enemies will get away with it, that they will walk away scot free. Beloved, they won’t. GOD has the final say. Just as Saul did not get away with it, so your enemies will not get away with it. Trust GOD and follow his principles.
vi. David really loved The LORD, despite him not understanding this LORD. It is recorded that during the incidences when David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, David feared the LORD because The LORD killed a man who tried to stabilize the Ark. But David went back re-strategized, did things the way the LORD had said and finally managed to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. When you really love someone, you do what they say. The MOST HIGH says that revenge is HIS, He will repay. It’s not your business to know how GOD will repay. You will see HIM repay and avenge you. It’s HIS business.
vii. David did not gloat over his enemies. When Saul died, David did not throw a party and celebrate. He killed the person who thought he would get a reward by lying that he had killed Saul. He cursed the ground where Saul and Jonathan had lost their lives. He composed a mournful poem /song about Saul and Jonathan. He mourned them. Beloved, you are not supposed to celebrate when disaster hits the camp of your enemies. You had better be silent if you don’t know what else to do, but please do not rejoice. Beloved, this David, the great king, prayed, “Create in me a clean heart O LORD and renew a right spirit in me”. This is a great prayer to pray. Remember, what goes around comes around.
We hear many horror tales about mothers in law then can’t understand when the tormented daughter in law becomes three times worse than her own mother in law whom she vilified. Many instances exist of people doing worse things than their torturers could ever have imagined. Beloved, just forgive, let go and let GOD.
Beloved, when JESUS was weeping over Jerusalem and crying over how the people did not recognize the day of their visitation, HE warned them of what will happen because they did not recognize HIM as their Salvation, and HE wept about it and told them when the punishment day comes, they should run away if they want to save their lives. On the cross, HE forgave them for they didn’t know what they were doing, but HE was not happy about the coming judgment. This is the attitude we are to have. Straight from our MASTER JESUS, the SON of David. If possible, give them tips on how to survive the coming disaster.
In the book of Jeremiah, GOD tells HIS people how to deal with their captivity. They had turned from HIM and HE had punished them, but here HE is through Prophet Jeremiah telling them to make life in captivity because they will be there for quite a while. Talk about helping your enemies and landing hot coals on their heads. Difficult but possible. Beloved, do not rejoice over the disaster that befalls your enemies or those who hurt you even if you know they really really deserved it. At the very least, observe and keep your inner and outer mouth shut.
The Bible tells us that GOD is not pleased with the death of the wicked. GOD does not celebrate the destruction of the wicked. Look at the case of Nineveh. HE was more than willing to forgive and restore if repentance was present. Beloved, GOD is not happy when you suffer because of your wrong doing. GOD is merciful. HE HIMSELF forgives all sins and helps us handle the consequences of our sins and shortcomings. That is why we hear of people who are in jail paying for their crimes but experiencing and testifying the forgiveness and grace of GOD. We see single mothers raising their children, experiencing the GOD who forgave them of their fornications and living by HIS grace which is sufficient.
Beloved, The LORD asks you to forgive; even as HE HIMSELF has forgiven you of your many sins. The LORD also warns you of impending disaster should you not repent of your sins and change your ways. HE sees your future and the plans He has for you and HE tells you in advance to abandon your wrong ways and turn to HIM and do things in HIS way so that the good HE has planned for you, will come to fruition. Just like David did. GOD is not rejoicing over people suffering on this earth due to lost purpose and heading towards spending eternity in hell. HE has taken time and steps to ensure that you do not land there. Beloved, turn away from wrongdoing, forgive all who have hurt you and leave the matter in GOD’s hands. Do not revenge. Trust in The LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In HIS time, He will make all things beautiful.
Beloved, the scripture informs us, "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15.
Do you want to know JESUS as your personal Lord and Savior? Your eternity is at stake! JESUS has opened the door of salvation to every person. But there is coming a day when the door will be closed. Today is the day of salvation. Choose to be in the family of GOD. JESUS died so that we can spend eternity in Heaven with HIM. Don't delay! And if you want to begin a relationship with GOD or resume a broken one, say this: O GOD, I come to YOU today. I know I am a sinner. I believe that JESUS died on the cross to save me and HE resurrected on the third day. I repent of my sins and forsake them. I confess JESUS as my LORD and SAVIOR . I invite JESUS into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank YOU JESUS for saving me and making me a child of GOD. Amen
