Debts.

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free,
and discover that the prisoner was you."

Forgiveness has been on my mind and heart a lot lately. Mostly, I think, because God has shown me what a problem I have in that area.

It's so easy to not forgive someone without even realizing it. You might forget about it, push it to the back of your mind, avoid the offender, or justify your bitterness. Maybe do you realize that you haven't forgiven, but just can't bring yourself to. I'm guilty of both.

The thing is, neither approach is right. It's still unforgiveness, and it's still going to eat you up inside. You can never be whole until you have forgiven others their debts to you. Not until you reach the point where you are done with bitterness and ready to completely and honestly forgive. Then you will allow God to work in your heart, rebuild what was destroyed, and make you new again.

Jesus taught on unforgiveness. He used the parable of the unmerciful servant. The king was settling all his accounts, and a servant was brought before him who owed him a huge debt of 10,000 talents (millions of dollars). The servant begged to be shown mercy, and the king forgave him his debt and released him. Later, the servant went and demanded another man repay him a hundred denarii (only a few dollars in today's money). The man did not have the money, so the servant had him thrown in jail.

When the king learned what the servant had done, he was very angry. The king had forgiven the servant millions of dollars, but the servant condemned a man with a very minor debt to him. So the king had the servant thown in jail and tortured until he could repay his million-dollar debt (Matthew 18:22-34 [NIV]).

At the end of that passage, Jesus says, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart" (Matthew 18:35 [NIV]). Oh dear heart, you and I have been forgiven over and over for the things that we have done. For everything we have done. How is it that we think that we can refuse to forgive the debts of those who have done a few things against us?

Maybe the debts are major things; maybe they're not. But any debt pales in comparison to the great ones we owe our King, who so graciously forgave us all.

Sometimes we don't even realize that there is unforgiveness or bitterness in our hearts. The offense may have occurred a long time ago; the offender may not still be near us. David prayed, "Forgive me my hidden faults" (Psalm 19:12b [NIV]). Just as David did, ask Him to reveal any hidden unforgiveness.

You and I have to be the ones to commit the act of instant forgiveness. It's not a process. Paul wrote, "Forgive, as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13 [NIV]). Our Lord forgave us instantaneously, without any reluctance or delay. Can you imagine Jesus sitting in heaven saying, "You know, you just really hurt me when you sinned. I'm not really ready to forgive you yet. I need some time, try again in a few years."

Of course He wouldn't do that! So why do we?

Take a few moments to go before your gracious King. Let Him make you whole again.

Beth Moore said this: "God did not insist on my forgiving for the sake of my perpetrator, but for the sake of peace in my life." Dear heart, let His peace reign in your life!