This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.Many times people think forgiveness is only for those major resentments they've been carrying against someone. True forgiveness is also for all those "little" hurts and offenses that cause you to go out of your way to avoid someone.
(1 John 1:5-6)
It's those memories that cause you to treat someone with less warmth and love than usual because they have injured you in some way.
I'm talking about any attitude you have that's less than loving someone with the love of God Himself.
Some people don't want to give up those attitudes. They'll say that they love God and get along fine with Him. They just claim to have trouble getting along with those who may have offended them.
According to the Bible, people who feel that way are not walking in truth. They're trying to walk in darkness and light at the same time, and today's verse tells us it can't be done. Period.
The sad thing is, many Christians who are walking in unforgiveness don't know they're in darkness. They think that because they read their Bible and attend their youth group that everything is cool with God, but 1 John 2:11 says, "But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness—he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him."
A person who does not forgive is hating his brother.
"I don't hate him," you may say. "I just don't like him very much!"
How far outside of love do you have to go before it can be called hate? As far as God is concerned, just one step outside of love is hate. To Him there are no shades of gray. In His eyes, anything less than love is sin.
So make the decision today to forgive—everything and everyone.
Backup: 1 John 2:1-11
Download: Numbers 36; Deuteronomy 1; John 18
Voice activate: I determine to walk in love and compassion toward others and forgive—them, just as in Christ God forgave me (Eph. 4:32).
Excerpt permission granted by
Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc.
aka: Kenneth Copeland Ministries