Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4: 31-32

And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. Luke 11:4

It seems like we’re always talking about how hard it is to forgive. Actually, the older I get, the harder I find it not to forgive. Forgiveness is what God asks, and requires us to do, and as it turns out, God only asks us to do what is best for us.

Have you ever been so angry at a person that you imagined that you never wanted to see or speak to them again? I certainly have. I fret and I stew. But, I’ve gotten to the point in my life, and maybe in my faith, to take Paul’s words to the Ephesians seriously. Anger and grudges don’t do anyone any good. In fact, they can kill you.

An angry heart is dangerous to both body and soul. Along with recognizing what makes you angry, taking a deep breath and talking about the problem, try a healthy dose of forgiveness. It might save a life. When God does it, it saves ours.

Prayer for today

God, teach us to love each other as you love us. Help us to forgive each other as you forgive us. Amen.