Belief Matters | Forgiveness | Part 3
(Romans 12:17-21 NIV) Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[a] says the Lord.
20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
And all along we are only allowing ourselves to be hurt over and over again by our own inability to forgive.
It matters what we believe about un-forgiveness.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
(Genesis 3:5 NIV) “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
(Isaiah 43:25 NKJV) “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.
God forgives us for His sake and He says do the same if for nothing else but your own sake.
18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[a] says the Lord.
20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[b] 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Do not repay evil for evil, forgive and realize it must originate
from your heart.
Our past hurts and pains keep us from forgiving because we desperately do not want to be hurt again.
Forgiveness is about setting the prisoner free and you are the prisoner.
God, I promise to do my best to not repay anyone evil for evil. I will be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone, most importantly you.
If it is possible, based on the health and safety of the situation, as far as it depends on me, I will live at peace with everyone.
I will put my trust in you to do what is right so I will not take revenge, I will leave room for your wrath.
On the contrary:
“If my enemy is hungry, I feed him; if they are thirsty, I will give them something to drink.
My prayer is that my actions will heap burning coals on their heads.” Not as an attack but as a plea for you to refine, purify, and transform them into your likeness as You are me.
I will not be overcome by evil, because I will overcome evil with good.