Our shared vision for revival in our nation must also involve a keen awareness of the spiritual battle we wage as we pray and work for a spiritual awakening.  This spiritual battle is unseen and very consequential.  The Bible reminds us that “we are not unaware” of Satan’s devices (2 Corinthians 2:11).  So as we partner to see a mighty work of renewal in our hearts, homes, churches, and nation we must also remind ourselves of the devices the enemy will use to derail our lives and undermine our spiritual efforts.

I am convinced that a primary strategy of the enemy is to destroy Christian relationships and specifically encourage a spirit of unforgiveness.  Twice the New Testament speaks of this as the primary area where our spiritual enemy gains advantage over Christians.  In speaking of the dangers of unresolved anger and coddled bitterness, Paul warns us not to give a foothold to the devil in our lives (Ephesians 4:16-31).  In speaking of the need for forgiveness, Paul also warns that we cannot let the devil take advantage of us (2 Corinthians 2:11).

The Importance of Forgiveness

We know how important forgiveness is because we realize how many people truly need to experience forgiveness in this life.  Ernest Hemingway writes about a Spanish father who decided to reconcile with his son who had run away to Madrid.  In an attempt to locate his son, the father took out an ad in the El Liberal newspaper: "PACO, MEET ME AT HOTEL MONTANA NOON TUESDAY. ALL IS FORGIVEN, PAPA."  Paco is a common name in Spain, and when the father went to the square he found 800 young men named Paco waiting for their fathers.

We know that forgiveness is commanded, even “seventy times seven” times (Matthew 18:21-11).  Forgiveness is essential to our commitment to be like Christ (Luke 23:24; 1 Peter 2:21-23).  We are required to extend forgiveness if we are to enjoy the full experience of forgiveness with our Heavenly Father (Mark 11:26).

The Sensibility of Forgiveness

Of course, because God is wise and His ways are always good, forgiveness also makes sense.  It leads to a sensible freedom, a sensible fellowship, and a sensible future.

A Sensible Freedom – When we forgive, we enjoy a practical freedom.  It’s been said that, “Forgiveness doesn’t make the other person right, it makes you free.”  Unforgiveness is a "control mechanism" whereby we try to exercise some kind of emotional jurisdiction and power over the situation and the other person.  When we forgive we become free of all the exhausting attempts to manage the situation in our flesh.  We are free to trust God for the outcome.

As author Phil Ryken has written, “Forgiveness brings great joy, not only to the forgiven, but especially to the forgiver. The Greek term for ‘forgiveness’ (aphiemi) comes from a word that means ‘to let go.’” Forgiveness is a release, a letting go of self-destructive feelings such as anger, bitterness, and revenge.

All of us experience pain in life.  We can be deeply hurt by abandonment, criticism, lies, slander, abusive words, and disappointed expectations.  Pain is inevitable.  Bitter misery is optional.  When we know that God gives us the grace to forgive and be forgiven, but refuse to make that choice, we live in unnecessary, self-inflicted pain.    That makes no sense.

A Sensible Fellowship – God created us with a deep need for intimacy with Himself and others.  Forgiveness opens up the supply line of indescribable blessing both in our relationships with God and with other people.

Often, the very person toward whom we are angry or bitter is one from whom we need to receive love, affirmation, and grace.  Unforgiveness keeps us from enjoying the benefits of this relationship.  It is like a person who intentionally starves himself to death while a table full of delicious and nutritious food is within reach.

A failure to forgive soon turns into bitterness, which in time also defiles and wounds many other people (Hebrews 12:15).  No rational, loving person would detonate a hand grenade at a gathering of friends and family.  Yet an unforgiving spirit has that very effect spiritually, emotionally, and relationally on anyone close to an embittered person.

I’ve heard it said that unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.  Not only does anger and bitterness eventually kill us emotionally, it negatively impacts our very ability to relate to others in a healthy way.  In a world where we all need the support, grace, counsel, and love of other believers, forgiveness makes a lot of sense.

A Sensible Future – God’s forgiveness has unleashed a real and abiding hope in our lives.  Forgiveness always brings hope to troubled relationships.  Conversely, unforgiveness kills hope.  An embittered heart sees only the worst in others, in themselves, in situations, and in the future.  This pessimism is in opposition to the truth about God and His plan for our lives.

A life that chooses forgiveness, extends blessing, and pursues peace is a life that will be richly rewarded by Christ.  The person living this kind of life has been a careful and thoughtful steward of God’s grace.  It just makes sense to live this way.

Forgiven Much to Forgive Much

In Luke 7:47, Jesus explained that when we are forgiven much, we love much.  The great English preacher Martin Lloyd-Jones said, “Whenever I see myself before God and realize something of what my blessed Lord has done for me at Calvary, I am ready to forgive anybody anything.  I cannot withhold it.  I do not even want to withhold it.”

Ken Sande, in his book The Peacemaker, writes, “We take God’s forgiveness for granted when we stubbornly withhold our forgiveness from others.  In effect, we behave as though others’ sins against us are more serious than our sins against God.”

When the power of the Gospel has made sense to us – forgiveness makes sense.  It is the good and right thing to do. 

Henry Ward Beecher stated that, “Every man should keep a fair-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends.“ It is God’s will that our cemetery of forgetfulness grows as our commitment to truly and completely forgive increases.  The devil hates it when we truly understand these things.  But, it just makes sense.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved.