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“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
With the loss of my son Henry my two sisters and other significant relationships I had to learn that there will come a moment in our lives when we’ll have our very last conversation with someone we love. We may not realize it’s our last one, which is why it’s always a good thing to end our conversations with the words “I love you.”
Think about those you love, those who mean a lot to you. Tell them that you love them, even if you think they already know. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
Also, keep short accounts and forgive. Realize that people will disappoint you, even people you love. We all will face hurt and pain in life, but what we don’t want to do is harbor grudges.
Studies suggest that those who don’t forgive are more likely to experience high blood pressure, bouts of depression, and problems with anger, stress, and anxiety. When we forgive others, we’re not letting them off the hook. Rather, we’re avoiding misery in our own lives.
I think of the story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis and the horrible things that Joseph suffered because his brothers betrayed him. At the time that he could have had them all executed, he instead forgave them and said, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20 NKJV).
Pastor Oscar Smith
09/12/2022
