Becky Crenshaw

The unforgiving heart is so costly.

Read what Jesus says about forgiveness…

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

I am 100% in love with Jesus, but I am also 100% human. My feelings get hurt and I can be offended, not easily, but offended still.

And every so often my Mama likes to manifest on me. She could be feisty. And heaven help the man or woman who crossed her.

I’m not saying this is good…but it is true.

She was could be a fiery dart and was known to hold a grudge like nobody’s business.

Do you know someone like this? Is it you?

Well, left to my flesh, this is me.

My words are sharp and fiery…just ask my husband.

Brent has said before, “I’m not going to have this fight with you. I know I won’t win.”

Yuck. Isn’t sin so ugly?

So. I have to be on guard. I try not to lash out with my tongue. I know “better than that”.

People might see my sin. Or hear it.

But no one sees my heart.

Right?

Wrong.

God knows when I sit down and when I rise up; He discerns my thoughts from a far. -Psalm 139:2

And He loves me still? Amazing.

Unforgiving: unwilling to forgive; Having or making no allowance for error or weakness

Unforgiveness is a very quiet sin. It lingers in the soul of its carrier, rotting away, destroying compassion, deteriorating the tenderness of the heart.

Unforgiveness breeds bitterness.

And no one likes a bitter person.

The Lord warns us of the effects of this unforgiving heart. He warns us against bitterness.

HE SAYS IT HINDERS OUR OWN FORGIVENESS.

Lord, help us. Think about that.

If I went to the Lord this morning, mad at my husband – not forgiving him for something he did (or didn’t do) yesterday…if I spent an hour in praise and prayer to the Lord, it would be rather ineffective.

Example: Brent and I got into a tiff yesterday. A petty quarrel about sweeping the bathroom floors. But the enemy wanted to blow that up and make us hate on each other all day. He will try to breed bitterness in my marriage. Brent and I have to stay on guard. ALL OF THE TIME.

I can not go into the Most Holy Place with the Lord when I am full of sin. When I have an unforgiving heart. No. I go into that place with the Lord….cleansed of my sin.

Cleansed of all of my hidden sin (ahem…unforgivingness).

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive. Colossians 3:13

God’s method is quite contradictory of our flesh. When someone ticks you off….love them.

How’s that for a work of the Holy Spirit?

O.K. So who is it?

Who are you thinking of this morning?

Forgive them.

Don’t live in bondage to bitterness another day.

Let it go. Give it over to the Lord.

An unforgiving heart costs too much.