We are held to a Higher Standard. Christ is our Example.
Published By Sister Deborah Negron – Child of God
January 25, 2022
The power of forgiveness is not merely some thing spoken of in some religious speech to evoke one to move towards being like Christ. Forgiveness and mercy far outweighs our ability to retaliate and fight back. Too often many have become like thw world. As Americans we soeak of freedom as it pertains to our rights, our opinions, wanting to be heard or simply wanting things how we think they ought to go.
As a leader oft times pushes others to move in a direction, evwn when the motivations are flawed, so we think at times that what we feel or believe is what should be. At times we are are faced with how wrong we have been.
In other occasions, there are some who have spoken ill of us. They have judged us wrongfully and without even knowing who we truly are, they have made accusations and even truly believed they were in the right. For the most part, these never come and apologize. They simply act as if they never said anything or did anything against us.
They move on in life as if they are somehow justified in their thoughts and actions.
I have been on both sides of this fence. I have misunderstood or believed things that were not true and have had to go to that person and say, I am sorry.
I have also been on the side where I have been accused of things I am not guilty for. Put down so low that, only God knows how He had to pull me up from under the rubble. But through it all, the Lord has taught me that to forgive is far better.
To extend mercy where none is deserved is far greater than to stand up and continue fighting.
To simply pray for them is the best thing I can do. To understand that the enemy has taken them and used them, at times they may not even be aware.
I recall an incident where a person began talking ans conti used in their speaking to put me down and the decisions I had to make regarding a close loved one. It was heart wrenching and painful to hear how they thought I was being ungodly and heartless when it came to the situation. They even used language that was profane and accused me of wanting control and power in the midst of the saddest decisions I have ever had to make.
I recall that the Lord impressed in my heart, that I should not respond in the same manner. I recall the Lord caused me to cry before him and leave it all at his feet. Eventually, the Lord did what he had to and in his own way vindicated me.
My response was not to hold grudges or retaliate.
It was clear and simple. Prayer. Prayer for the ones who had been mistsken in their assumptions of me.
Too often, we want to fight battles that need not to be fought. Prayer is the better answer. Seeking God’s face and asking him to strengthen us to do what we must and to lead us to what His will is, is the higher road.
Forgiving those who have hurt is does not seem easy at first.
But as we decide to do so, the Lord, through His Holy Spirit empowers us to move forward and totally forgive.
We release them from the position of holding something over us and ourselves from the weight of their hurtful words.
We see that God is much better at dealing with those who have hurt us than we could ever be.
Job was down and out. He had lost everything. His properties, his children, his health and even the trust of his wife. He was totally down when his friedns came to sit with him. For days he felt their comfort as they quietly sat and cried with him. But then they opened their mouths. What they said to him was hurtful. They accusdd him of being punished by God. They spoke as if they had some kind of foresight and knowledge. They sounded eloquent and as if he had to hear their debilitating words.
They told him that if he returns to the Almighty he will be restored, as if he had forgotten God. Job 8:5
But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you.
Job 15:4-6
They had accused him of abandoning the Lord.
They spoke of the evil they perceived Job was responsible for. Yet the Lord knew the heart of Job. Scripture tells us that Job was righteoys. He pointed this out himself to Satan, telling him to consider his servant Job a righteous man. Job 1:6.
Scripture tells us that Job even sacrificed and prayed for his children as a practice interceding on their behalf.
“And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.”
Job 1:5
So, the fact that these men came and accused him, preached at him and caused injury on top of harm, was truly over the top.
God is our Avenger.
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Romans 12:19
“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Leviticus 19:18
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” Hebrews 10:30
The Lord knows our hearts. He knows the deepest pain and the things that have been spoken wrongfully against us.
We are not better than our Master. Jesus was accusdd and rejected. He was put down and spat on. Yet isn’t he who said, Father forgive them for they know not waht they do… Luke 23:34
We see how our merciful God deals with thise who accused and put down Job.
In chapter 42 of the book of Job in the Bible we read the following…
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.
Job 42:2-9
God made these men go to Job and ask for him to pray over them so the Lord would forgive them for saying words God had not spoken.
God did not forget what was said.
The Bible tells us, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36-37
The Bible tells us,
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
Proverbs 18:21
We will all have to give an account for our words.
Knowing this, ought to make us more reverent and more cautious.
We have all failed at one time or another. None of us is exempt. But the resounding theme in scripture is Mercy.
God instructed us in this time of Job’s life, that Job had to pray over thise he had been hurt by. He had to forgive them.
On the Cross, Jesus asked for the Father to forgive thise who had put him up on that cross. He said, that their actions were ignorant.
Jesus said, Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
Forgiveness is always the answer.
Mercy is The best option.
Walking in faith means we cannot walk in anger and with grudges. We cannot walk in an attitude of pointing the finger and accusing.
Even though Jesus had every right to be angry and to call fore from heaven and destroy theose who put him on the cross…
He did not…
He offered his blood to forgive their sin. He offered mercy instead of Condemnation.
If, I am my Heavenly Father’s daughter, then I must forgive.
The Bible says,
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:14-15
So, in order to be considered righteous before the Lord, I must forgive others.
In order to have God not condemn me for my faults, my mispoken words and my wrongs, I too must forgive others.
So the theme of being Christ like is irrelevant is we cannot forgive.
We can speak the greatest words and have the most elaborate ministries yet if we hild bitterness and anger within, we forfeit our position in God’s Kingdom.
In order to be like our Lord we must forgive one another. Pray for one another and understand that Love covers a multitud of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
And I stop here to say, If I have ever offended you, yes youth, the one reading this now, Please forgive me.
May the Lord bless you and may we be more like Him.
Let His Love Cover Our Sins.
Life and Faith By Deb 
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