“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13
It opened in theaters recently and my wife and I attended the second night. It was an incredible presentation about the horrific consequences of abortion. It affects not only the unborn child and the birth mother but also many other people as well, The movie spells that out so clearly.
The movie is October Baby, a story about a college girl who learns she was the product of a failed abortion and goes in search of her birth-mother and her life. Depressed beyond relief, Hannah walks into a catholic church and is confronted with the priest to whom she tells her story.
But he tells her that the greatest need is forgiveness and that because Christ forgave her, she has the power to forgive others and that put a new perspective on her life. I’ll stop there as to not give away the story’s incredible ending. I hope you will go see it, as we need to support Christian movies. Don’t miss it, but Kleenex is recommended.
I believe forgiveness is a choice we make through a decision of our will, motivated by obedience to God and his command to forgive. The Bible instructs us to forgive as the Lord forgave us.
Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, said, “Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.”
We will know the work of forgiveness is complete when we experience the freedom that comes as a result. We are the ones who suffer most when we choose not to forgive. When we do forgive, the Lord sets our hearts free from the anger, bitterness, resentment and hurt that previously imprisoned us.
This answer by Jesus makes it clear that forgiveness is not easy for us. It’s not a one-time choice and then we automatically live in a state of forgiveness. Forgiveness may require a lifetime of forgiving, but it is important to the Lord. We must continue forgiving until the matter is settled in our heart.
When we refuse to forgive others we become the prisoner and only Christ-like forgiveness will set us free. Christ forgave me to that I can and must forgive others.
By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney
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