Ephesians 4:31-32 (GW)
31 Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred.
32 Be kind to each other, sympathetic, forgiving each other as God has forgiven you through Christ.
The bible is full of directives to be forgiving of ourselves and others, the foundation of the Christian faith is all about forgiveness, unforgiveness is rooted in selfishness and pride and have no place in our heart because it is a poison that kills one slowly.
Forgiveness according to Dr Martin Luther King Jr, is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude.
If God can forgive you for your deepest darkest sins, why can’t you forgive others for the smallest things done to you?
Unforgiveness is the single most popular poison that the enemy uses against God’s children, and it is one of the deadliest poisons a person can take, either in small or large doses but expects the other person to die from the grudge in our hearts.
The things people do not want to forgive others of are the things they have done themselves but expects to be forgiven of. Matthew 18:23-35.
Unforgiveness may cause all kinds of medical issues and some forms of cancer have been attributed to unforgiveness. Cancer comes from the devil, scientist cannot explain it, doctors do not understand where it comes from; it is the symptoms of a curse. God allowed the Israelites to face diseases and sickness when they disobeyed Him in Deuteronomy 28:58-61, and when they would turn back to Him, He would heal and cleanse their land.
Unforgiveness manifest itself in several ways. It is as much for your sake and others that the Lord instructed us to forgive people as many times as they offend us. You count and keep a list of grudges and offences, Leviticus 19:17-18; you drag up old offences and tag them. You replay over and over every scenario, incident and keep the offence fresh in mind which feeds the poison of unforgiveness and then you seat with a glass of 1924 vintage bottle of unforgiveness while hoping for your offender to die.
Forgiveness is not a choice; it is a command that God expects you to obey in Matthew 6:12.
Slothfulness, laziness, idleness, is anathema to this generation, Proverbs 21:25. Everybody wants something for nothing, ” President Roosevelt said ” there is no victory without sacrifice” how do we appreciate what we own when nothing of us went into getting it. People have made slothfulness an art form, living off the government, relatives, and friends when they are well able to fend for themselves. Proverbs 21:25-26.
This is a generation that wants the best of everything, even when they are not old enough for it, mature enough or can’t afford it. Proverbs 24:30-34.
Greed is a poison that every human exhibits according to Jeremiah 6;13. Greed is quite possibly the parent of other evil than any other sin. Greed murders, robs, slanders. The bible teaches that greed is idolatry because it places things at the centre of our lives instead of God.
Greed is I want it all, I won’t share, and I am not concerned with people who need what I have.
The Muslim declare they cannot forgive their offender in this life or the next! Life is too short to keep drinking from the cup of unforgiveness and eternity is too long to suffer the consequences of unforgiveness.