Day 2102 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.


Matthew 6:14 NIV

Today I'm thankful for forgiveness. It's one of the biggest gifts that we've ever been given, and it's one of the most powerful gifts we can offer anyone else. With all of the mistakes that we make on a daily basis, the hope of being forgiven is the fuel that encourages us to fight harder to do better. So for this second day of Thanksgiving week, remember that you're forgiven!

You know I've looked back and recounted all the errors I've made in the past. Boy are there some doozies! I remember things that I've said and done before in life that I honestly can't believe. Thinking about it now it seriously seems like a totally different person. How could I have possibly done that? So many things that I cannot imagine doing now. I'm betting we can all say the same.

That's the beauty of being forgiven. Those shameful and embarrassing mistakes don't define us. They don't tell the whole story because God's the writer and He's still writing. He chose to look past those mistakes and love us still. He is willing to let things go so that we can free to start over and live the better life that He created us to live. He simply won't throw away His plans and hopes for us even though we don't deserve them!

There's a tremendous power in letting go. God does it for us. We should also do it for others. We all screw up. We say and do things that hurt others. And they say and do things that hurt us in return. We're all highly imperfect people just trying to make our way through life, learning and hopefully growing as we go. We need to give one another room to be imperfect. It's going to happen so we may as well expect it and be ready to take the high road whenever it does.

Forgiveness is one of those amazing gifts that helps everyone involved. It sets the guilty party free from those horrible feelings of guilt and shame. It gives them hope that relationships can be restored. But it also helps the person who chooses to forgive because it gets rid of that weight of being angry and upset. It lets us move on without the burden of holding a grudge that could quite possibly do irreparable damage.

Friends, we've been forgiven. That's God's grace and mercy for each of us. And we have the ability to offer the same kind of grace and mercy to others. Forgiveness is truly a powerful thing. Definitely something to be thankful for!

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