"Q"uick to Forgive

Today I saw the letter Q as my theme and winced.  What on earth is God going to show me to write about today that starts with Q?  I'll be honest, I put off posting for over two hours just because I was at a loss with this letter.  Then God thunked me on the head and said, HEY!  I'm Quick to forgive, as you too should be.  Oh my!  I was trying to put off my blogging but God had other plans for me to share today.  So, I'm all ears God.  What shall I share from You today?

I have to ask myself, am I quick to forgive?  Do I hold grudges towards others?  Do I hang onto that hurt for as long as possible and use it as a reason to not have to deal with someone?  Ahh, Yep.  I do.  Man, when God calls you out on something, it gets real, real REAL quick!

Did you know there is a book in the Bible called Nahum?  There is.  And Nahum has some good stuff to say about God and grudges.  The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.  Nahum 1:3.

If God is slow to anger then why do we feel the need to be quick to respond in situations.  If God can forgive us each day, why can't we do that to those around us?  I will be honest, I hold grudges.  Still to this very moment I have a few that I feel are justified.  People hurt me so I'm going to hurt them.  Even just this week with everything going on in my family, people thought it necessary to hurt me through their words.  Why do I allow it to consume me?   Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them. ~ Romans 4:8.  If God gives us new mercies and grace, aren't we supposed to be living out our faith the same way?

We are all sinners and more often than not, our sins are caused by our own stubborn behaviors.  We get carried away in the moment and allow the negative behaviors to dictate our responses to situations.  God forgives us.  Period.  End of story.  Next chapter please.  God doesn't hold grudges.  He doesn't keep score.  He doesn't maintain a list of hurtful things we've done or said, He forgives and is quick to do so.  All He asks of us is to ask Him for that forgiveness.  But, does that mean we are supposed to ask others for their forgiveness?  Sometimes, yes.  Other times it is us who must do the forgiving.

If we allow the negative grudges to consume our days, we lose sight of the joy we could have.  I can think of a perfect example from my life.  I have one person with whom I have had a difficult time finding joy.  I would groan when they would call me.  I would blame them for the reason our relationship was the way it was.  And then I heard a sermon on forgiveness.  I was intrigued on how the Pastor told us that sometimes, it is not an apology from the other person we are waiting for.  Sometimes we have to forgive that person ourselves, in our own hearts, in order to move on and heal that relationship.  He was right.  Sometimes we will never get an "I'm sorry" because the other person doesn't know how to admit to their part in the negativity and hurt.  But, if you forgive them within your heart, God forgives you for that grudge.  And it WORKS!  That relationship with this person is so much better today than just a few short months ago.  I smile when they call. I get excited to chit chat about absolutely nothing with them.  Why?  Because I'm no longer holding onto that anger, that grudge and I'm allowing myself the pleasure of enjoying them as God enjoys us.

We can't let Satan control our hearts.  We can't let Satan continue to control a grudge.  We have to let go and let God take that from us.  There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.- Romans 8:1

Everyone who believes in Christ Jesus will be saved, forgiven, sealed, given abundant grace and loved beyond measure by God.    But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses.  By grace you are saved!- Ephesians 2:4-5.

Be a Quick to Love, Quick to Forgive kind of person.  Take a moment to allow the Holy Spirit to take over your emotions so that you are slow to anger.  God is quick to forgive us.  God is quick to love us.  God is quick to give us grace even though we are sinners.  Oh, how relationships could change if we could just be a society of quick love like Jesus!