As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us

 

Job 42:10 And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

 

Job had endured much. The loss of his children, his goods, his friends, his kin!. He endured an excruciatingly painful malady to his body! It was during this latter part of his trial that he began to question the goodness of God.  C’mon, let’s face it, you and I would’ve done the same thing!

But God, in His mercy straightened out Job’s line of thinking and Job repented. Yet there was something more that needed to be done by Job. He needed to pray for his friends who had unjustly accused him of being the problem. Job needed to pray for them and his prayer would be a sign of his willingness to forgive them from the heart.

 

How does that Lord’s prayer part go again? “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Then Jesus added this kicker of a P.S. in Mt 6:15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

 

Perhaps, even more to the point in the parable of the unforgiving servant Jesus said,  “Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' 34 "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." (Mt 18: 32-35)

 

I know it’s difficult to forgive others who have done you physical, emotional, or spiritual harm, but I’ll never forget the advice I received from Pastor Ken Dowdy at Good Shepherd Lutheran in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. He said, “when you have trouble forgiving others start the process of forgiveness by praying for them! It doesn’t have to be a long and flowery prayer, just ask God to bless them and over time you will find your unforgiveness melting away to a genuine love and concern for their soul! …..”as we forgive those who trespass against us.