Lindsay Roberts
Have you ever been reading God’s Word and stopped when it got to a part of the Scripture you didn’t want to deal with? Mark 11:23–25 NIV is a Scripture like that. It excites us… at least the first part. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if someone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.” Sounds good so far!
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” That’s great!
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sin.” Uh-Oh! That’s too hard!
Yes, God says we’re to forgive others so He can forgive us. And I’ll be honest, there have been times I’d rather have eaten nails than forgive someone. Forgiveness just wasn’t in me. But the Lord taught me that when, in my humanness, I’m unable to forgive, if I will allow the Holy Spirit who resides in me to forgive that person, then, I can forgive. Are you harboring unforgiveness in your heart? If so, pray this prayer with me: Father God, I pray for the Holy Spirit to do a work within me so I can forgive this person. Give me strength through Christ to forgive when, in my humanness, I can’t. Please take the pain and anguish I am feeling as I release the situation and the person to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.