Read Ephesians 4:25-32
25 Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another.
26 Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,
27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity.
28 Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need.
29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.
30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.
32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. -- Ephesians 4:25-32 (CSB)
One thing we all have in common is that we have all been hurt by other people.
Others have said or done things that have hurt us. Sometimes we have been hurt by what someone failed to say or do. The issue in life is not “will we be hurt” but “how will we respond when we are hurt by others?” The Scripture passage for today sites several possible responses that often accompany the hurts we encounter: anger (verse 26), bitterness, wrath, malice (verse 31). When we identify these things in our lives we are challenged to “remove” or “put away” these things. In place of these responses we are called to choose the response of forgiveness.
Forgiveness is the way God has chosen to relate to us. Forgiveness is the way God encourages us to relate to each other. Forgiveness means we treat the person in the future as if they had not hurt us in the past. Forgiveness involves refusing to relate to the person out of anger and bitterness. Forgiveness means we choose to extend grace to the person who hurt us. Have you harbored anger, bitterness, wrath or malice toward someone in your church?
Take time today to confess your sinful response to that person. Choose with the help and grace of God to forgive that person.
