Forgiving While We Wait Is Evidence of God's Grace

"...we are fully determined, as evidence of God’s grace in us, to forgive our neighbors.” 

Most of the times that our neighbor offends us, it’s over something that really doesn’t matter much. Our pride has been hurt, or we didn’t get something we would like to have had. 

In these cases, we can ask for God’s help, stop and consider how much we have sinned against God, and simply choose to forgive. We may have to go through that process many times before the offense doesn’t bother us anymore, but it’s a simple process.

Sometimes, though, because there is true and deep evil in our world, people sin against each other in horrible, devastating ways. 

People sometimes use such cruelty against others that it seems it would be wrong to forgive them. We want to see them pay for the evil they have done. 

How can we forgive our neighbors in situations like that? 

We can only forgive cases of great evil and cruelty when we remember that God is just. He will judge every sin ever committed. He will punish all cruelty and evil in the end. 

We can trust him for this. This is how we can find the patience we need to wait on him and to forgive while we wait. 

Adapted Excerpt From: Starr Meade. “Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds.”