Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. —Colossians 3:13b NLT
Think about those times you’ve begged for forgiveness when you wronged the right person (or the right people) in your life. In your tight-stomached, nervous-kneed moment, you realized you are wholeheartedly dependent on that person (or those people) saying these three necessary words for your relationship to continue: I forgive you.
Therefore, the fuel for love isn’t tenacity, determination, flexibility, openness, willingness, or patience. These attributes certainly help love, but love’s fuel is forgiveness.
Without forgiveness, we are at a stop until That Someone Else says go. By saying “go” I mean that person says we can go on (continue) with them. Without their forgiveness, we are at a standstill.
Some have a hard time accepting God’s forgiveness for them. This is painful because forgiveness is love, love is forgiveness, and God is love. In other words, God is forgiveness. We see this best in Jesus. The cross Jesus died on isn’t for someone else’s sin; it is for your sin. [Notice the present tense here.] Jesus died to forgive your sin.
Since you are forgiven, you are not at a standstill. Move on. Forgive others while continuing to seek forgiveness from those you’ve sinned against.
PRAYER: Lord, your forgiving me lets me, in turn, forgive others. May love—fueled by forgiveness—keep on. Amen.