A verse of the day that popped up from my Bible app a few days ago was:

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27)

I’ve always remembered the phrase of “don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry,” especially in the talks of relationships and marriages. It’s important in any relationship you have with others. I think that even if you don’t resolve an issue or know everything about it, it’s important to forgive. To let the anger fall from your heart before you sleep on it.

Sometimes I realize, wow, I am easily angered sometimes. Something will just set me off, whether it be because something happened before and that one thing triggered an even worse attitude, whatever it may be. I realize that, okay, I need to take a step back. It’s not worth arguing or making tempers worse and venture into sin.

I consider myself a forgiving person. I don’t let what people do to me effect me long-term even if at the time and for a few short hours I’m completely hurt and broken about it. Life goes on, as do I. I can’t think of much that I’m holding onto from my past, but maybe it’s there and just buried.

Wednesday at my church’s bible study, we read and discussed Mark 2:1-12. The Ephesians verses I mentioned earlier just happened to come up the next day and I felt compelled to write about this.

A question my pastor asked was if we would rather be healed or forgiven (of our sins) – which was in the passage as well, what Jesus had asked the people. Healing someone would be easier than forgiving them, I suppose, though forgiving them would lift a bigger burden and weight off their shoulders. Jesus told the man that he was forgiven of his sins, though he was there to be healed, he was paralyzed and could not walk. This is when Jesus asked them why they questioned it in their hearts – they were questioning whether he could forgive and to prove that he could forgive, he healed the man thereafter and he was able to walk away, both forgiven and healed!

Someone on Earth telling you you’re forgiven makes you feel better, but sometimes words are only words and they may say, ya know, don’t worry about it or something and you still feel guilty about hurting them. Being forgiven by the Father is eternal and that is more important and more costly than never being able to walk again in this instance.  When you pass and go into heaven, you will be healed. But if you live your life without confessing your sins and having God forgive you, you will die and never ascend to heaven. Being forgiven by God is something that will last and doesn’t feel the same in my opinion. Because everything you do, an offense to someone on Earth, is an offense to God. He calls us to love one another as He loves us and as we love Him. (1 John 4:19) We do all things through Him, because of Him. (Colossians 1:16, John 14:6)

2 Thessalonians 1:12 says “Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.” If we live our lives as best we can, we’ll live the life God wanted us to, we will follow His son Jesus. Whenever we follow someone or hang out with someone a lot, like a best friend, we begin to act like them and easily become influenced by them. That’s what we need to do. Sometimes, most of the time, I think I live my life pretty well and I’m fine! But then something comes along in life and tells me otherwise, telling me I need to step up my game and lean on my best friend, Jesus. And though He’a always there for me, I shouldn’t stray away as often as I do not spend as much time with him which tends to happen. He forgives me and I know he does. Knowing that confessing my sins and crying out to Him, He hears my cries and He carries my burdens so that I can live through Him, live the life God created and set out for me, and spread the Gospel.

Let’s lean on Jesus this year. Let’s be a forgiving people, a forgiving body of Christ – a body full of hope, love, and peace.