What other effects of unforgiveness can we see?

 Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ! Welcome to “Daily Word for Spiritual Edification”!             Yesterday we started talking about what can happen to a person’s life if he or she chooses to not forgive. And we saw that, first, refusal to forgive gives place to the devil in the life of the person and in the life of the church. Second, unforgiveness deprives one of the grace, because it feeds the root of bitterness that arises in human heart as a result of unforgiveness. So, what other effects of unforgiveness can we see? 

1. Unforgiveness destroys godly relationships and causes splits in the Body of Christ.

 There is so much chaos in the Church of Jesus Christ because of offended people. Many of them are not able to fellowship with one another and built friendship due to offenses and the fear of rejection. Many people build huge walls around them due to unforgiveness. They receive new „revelations” that separate them from the other people even more and make them passive. For example, it is right to say, «We need to look at God, not people». But very often these types of „revelation” are received by offended people who try to justify their lack of desire to engage in honest and open relationships with other people in the Body of Christ. I agree that we must look at God and trust Him alone. But at the same time I am sure that a person cuts himself off the fullness of God’s will and his destiny when he chooses to function alone, independent of the Body of Christ. Many people talk about not feeling a need for other people, because they belong to the ‘universal church’. Because of their offence they are only a part of this ‘universal church’ where there is no accountability, nor godly invention, nor changes, nor ‘iron sharpening iron’. “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs, 27:17). At best, offended people ‘scout’ the churches hoping to find the one ‘magical’ church that would solve all of their problems. But as soon as they feel the slightest discomfort they are out and gone. 

 «A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgement»(Proverbs, 18:1).

 Let’s look at some different translations/paraphrases of this verse to see clearly what it talks about. 

• A man who lives alone is led by his whims and is angry at anybody who tries to give sound advice (New Jerusalem Bible).

 

• A man who lives in isolation seeks his own will and laughs at every sound act (New Living Translation).

 

• A man who separates himself from others seeks excuses and always finds reasons for an argument (New American Bible).

 

• A man who distances himself for personal purposes goes against any sound thinking (New American Standard Bible).

 

• A selfish man fights every sound thing demanding his own wishes (Living Bible).

 When a person is offended, it becomes natural for him or her to distance from his offenders and to build protective walls around himself: 

 «A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle» (Proverbs, 18:19).

             Yes, we can and will be hurt by others, even the ones close to us. But if we do not forgive them, then the offense that takes root will lead us away from God and His calling for our lives. Forgiveness brings healing and deliverance! You can deliver yourself – through forgiveness. 

«Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much» (James, 5:16).

 Till tomorrow! May God abundantly bless you! Pastor Rufus Ajiboye