Love Forgives

By Millet Dacanay

One of the greatest acts of God’s love is to forgive in the midst of personal conflict.

When I made a commitment with the Lord to walk in love, the tests started – so severe that they floored me physically and emotionally. The devil tried his best to convince me to give up. Instead, I lifted my head and fixed my eyes on Jesus and said, “Lord, my commitment to you will not change. I know I can overcome it. I will walk in love and I will forgive.”

To love and forgive others as God has forgiven me requires much faith from me. It requires my act of will. I was then so weak that God had to give me a supernatural ability to erase from my consciousness the memory of the incident. Praise God, through His Word, I was able to rebuild my inner self.

When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother, Jesus answered,      “… seventy times seven.” Then He related a parable about a servant who owed his master a large amount. Though he was forgiven of the large debt, he refused to exercise that same grace to a fellow servant who owed him a small debt. When the master heard about it, he delivered that servant to the tormentors. He called him a wicked servant. (Matthew 18:21-35). God equates unforgiveness to wickedness. The servant’s unforgiving heart cost him far more than the money he owed.

As Christians, there can be no room in our hearts for bitterness. When we refuse to forgive, we put ourselves in jeopardy where Satan can attack us. The little things we don’t forgive and the cutting words we blurt out, gives Satan a foothold in our lives.

To live in forgiveness, we will have to pulverize all our remaining pride. At times, we will have to go to our brother or sister and ask for his forgiveness. When we have a forgiving heart true harmony comes into our homes and in the Church. This, then, brings us into a position of harmony with God.