Forgive Your Brothers and Sisters
Forgive Your Brothers and Sisters
Matthew 18:35 NLT
That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.
This podcast is a repost, originally published on Feb 21, 2017.
Series: Living in harmony
A majority of the teachings of Jesus, the writings of the apostles and the practice of the first century churches revolved around interpersonal relationships.
Along with a relationship with God, relationships with others is also important. It is difficult to go to God with a tender heart while having bitterness in the heart for someone else.
Jesus expects his disciples to have a clean heart and He taught them to become like a child.
In Matthew 18:23-34, Jesus talks about a parable where a master forgives his servant who owed him millions of dollars when he was not able to pay back; but this servant refuses to forgive a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. When the king found out about this he sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. Jesus says that “that’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart”
As God had mercy on men, He expects men also to have mercy on others.
In order to live in harmony with one another, it is essential to have mercy on one another when they do wrong. This not only includes some random strangers but also the people who one lives with and faces every day.
Saying you forgive and holding a grudge against the person is not sufficient; but it is necessary to forgive from the heart.
God forgives sins by letting go and not remembering them again. On the cross, Jesus showed the ultimate sign of mercy and forgave. Having received that forgiveness, one ought to spread it out to others as well and live in harmony.
Let’s strive towards living in harmony with each other.
Psalm 147:2–3 reveals God's heart as a Restorer rather than a Punisher. Although Israel went into exile because of its own rebellion, God did not abandon His people. Instead, He promised to restore Jerusalem, bring the exiles home, heal the brokenhearted, and bind up their wounds.
The message reminds us that while God may use friends, pastors, counselors, or loved ones to help us, true healing and restoration ultimately come from the Lord. His restoration reaches every part of our lives—our hearts, relationships, health, finances, emotions, and spiritual walk.
God knows every wound, including those hidden from others. Unlike people, who can only comfort from the outside, He sees the deepest parts of our hearts and heals completely. His healing is so complete that even the scars of past pain lose their power to define us.
The devotion encourages believers to fix their eyes on God instead of relying solely on human help. No matter how far someone has drifted, how many mistakes they have made, or how broken they feel, God is still calling them back. His desire is to restore, heal, and make all things beautiful in His perfect timing.
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