Slow to Anger, Quick to Forgive
In my experience, one of the worst feelings a human can feel is that they let someone down. I hate the idea that somewhere, someone is thinking of me in a negative light because I failed to reach that person’s expectations for me.
I’m sure you’ve felt that before whether it be in your career, in your academic endeavors or in a relationship of some sort. Well, while we should always try to come through when people need us and be reliable, we can rest easy knowing this:
Failure is inevitable.
It is. I’m going to fail, you’re going to fail. We’re all going to fail.
How’s that for your Monday morning pick-me-up?
Don’t worry, it doesn’t end there. Fortunately, we serve a loving and merciful God. We serve a God that expects perfection from us, but knows that we won’t achieve it and despite that, still loves us and still desperately wants to have a relationship with us.
That’s better, right?
No one is quicker to forgive than God. I know I’ve felt what it’s like to find forgiveness from someone, especially when I personally didn’t think I deserved it. That’s what God does and one of my favorite moments in the Bible perfectly exhibits this forgiveness.
“When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’” Luke 23:33–34
At this moment, when Jesus is on his last leg. He’s beaten, battered and bruised beyond recognition but something extraordinary happens.
There’s no malice. There’s no grudge. There’s no judging thoughts.
Just pure forgiveness.
So, why is the expectation any different for us? It isn’t. Let this be a lesson to us all. Jesus knew to forgive those that were killing him and we can forgive the driver who cut us off on the way to work or the teenager who had an attitude with us at the checkout counter at the grocery store.
Our lives are living testimonies to our knowledge and love for Christ. When we show forgiveness first, not only do we improve the lives of those around us, but we improve our own lives. When our first instinct is to show forgiveness, we begin to see ourselves become slower to anger and live without holding faults above the heads of our brothers and sisters.
The next time you feel as though you’ve been wronged, understand that One) God forgave us when we deserved death and Two) that a life full of forgiveness is better than one full of resentment.
