I’m sure the title of “The Sweetest Words” brings back memories of someone you love, telling you they love you. It may have been a spouse, or a child just learning to talk. Possibly an estranged friend, or relative making things right between the two of you. I remember a preschool Sunday School teacher telling me Jesus loves me. Those were definitely sweet words. I love you will never cease to be sweet words, especially from those you love. I’ve been married for almost three-fourths of my life, but I never tire of hearing “I love you” from my husband. I certainly never tire of reading the words that Jesus loves me, but there are three words, that to me, are sweeter than I love you. Those words are “you are forgiven.”
I believe it takes love to be forgiven. When John penned the words in John 3:16, the forgiveness God was extending was because of his love for us. Without His love for us, God would never have extended the means of forgiveness, that gave His Son to die in our place. However, that love cannot afford us Heaven, without forgiveness.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Forgiveness is a crucial attribute for a peaceful life here, and an eternal life in Heaven. Here on this earth, we will face many conflicts. Sometimes it will be with those we love dearly. We need to be ready to ask forgiveness, and also to extend forgiveness. Nothing is worse than to be in a room with two people who have a grudge against each other. The overshadowing effect of unforgiveness makes the entire room tense. Even those who don’t know there has been a problem can sense something is not right. Unforgiveness clouds your thinking and changes your mood. You can smile, and put on a front, but in the back of your mind, is the thought about that person standing across the room, whom you have yet to forgive, or to gain forgiveness from. Jesus makes it very clear in Matthew 6:12-15, that if we are not willing to forgive we will not be forgiven by God. This is not a situation I want to be in! When Jesus uses the word debt he is referring to sins. The measure of forgiveness that we can expect is that which we extend to others. So, what can you expect?
Matthew 6:12-15 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Forgiveness cannot be mere words, it must stem from the heart if we are to meet the requirements of Matthew 6. We must show mercy which is encompassed in the act of forgiving. In Psalms 18:25-26, God reveals the principle of getting what you give. A forward person is someone who is difficult to deal with. God is not difficult, as long as we meet the conditions he sets forth in Matthew 6.
Psalm 18:25-26 “With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward.”
Forgiveness frees the mind and the heart to worship freely, even if the person hasn’t asked for forgiveness. We can stand before God with a clear conscience. The natural man seeks revenge and becomes angry and bitter. We try to protect ourselves from the one who offended us. Most of the time we wait for the one who offended us, to come to us and make things right. We feel justified in being unforgiving because they caused the hurt. We talk ourselves into hanging on to the hurt and sometimes they don’t even realize what they have done. In Luke 23:34, Jesus set the example for us when he asks God the Father to forgive those crucifying Him, for they knew not what they were doing. Stephen also followed this example in Acts chapter 7. He was being stoned to death for preaching the truth of Christ.
Acts 7:60 “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
I have had to forgive people that didn’t want reconciliation. I remember asking a woman that seemed to hate me, to please tell me what I had done to her, and if would she please forgive me for whatever it was. She did not extend forgiveness, or ask for forgiveness for the lies she was spreading about me. However, the action of going to her and asking her to forgive me, for whatever I had done to cause her to feel this way, freed me. I can’t explain the peace that came from knowing I had done what was right. It allowed me to pray for her in a way I had not felt the freedom to do before. I felt pity for her and was able to truly pray out of love, for God to take charge of the situation. I was very hurt at the onset, and I’d like to be able to tell you everything was great afterward, but it wasn’t. She continued on her path, and she was sometimes civil to me, but this was an up-and-down battle for over 10 years. I am very grateful to God for allowing me to go through this experience. Though it was very painful, I learned so much about forgiveness, mercy, and love. Attributes the Father bestows on us daily.
If you do not learn, to put your hurts in the hands of God and handle them His way, you will become angry, and then bitter, toward those you feel have wronged you. You will also place a wedge between you and God. According to Psalm 66:18, He will not hear your prayers. You may never have a restored relationship with those you have forgiven, but you will be rid of the hurt that is eating you up. When you truly forgive, you free yourself. It’s official with God.
Psalm 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”
Yes, the sweetest words are I forgive, or will you forgive me? God extended those words to us over and over in scripture. His forgiveness allows for our eternal home in Heaven. Our forgiveness from others, and to others, allows for inward peace while waiting for that eternal peace.
