“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15
For forgiveness to mean anything, it must be total and complete. There can be no holding back of any anger or hatred or animosity. There can be no forgiveness asked that is unfulfilled – totally and completely. There can not even be unasked for forgiveness that is left hanging.
To receive mercy, one must give mercy. To receive God’s forgiveness of your sins, you must forgive every trespass against you.
Forgiveness withheld will harden the heart until the heart is so calloused it can’t hear God. Until the heart is so dead, God can’t speak life to it.
Jesus holds nothing back in these words recorded by Matthew. “If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Period.
They say the Mercy of God is limitless and without bounds. It is true, nothing can compare to what a single drop of God’s Divine Mercy can do, and He gives Oceans of Mercy. Nothing can hold back that flow of Divine Mercy except an unmerciful heart.
Stop this morning and pray. Ask God to give you a heart of heart today. Then, with that wisdom of Solomon, ask God to open your eyes to every single person who has ever wronged or sinned against you. Ask Him to draw to your memory every soul who has angered you, rightly or not. Ask God to let your mind open to every soul you need to forgive, every soul from birth to this moment. Then, seek those souls to give your forgiveness.
Some may be unapproachable or unfindable. Forgive them in prayer. Some may not want to accept your mercy, forgive them any way. Some may not remember what transgressions they committed, forgive and give mercy.
Then, look in the mirror. See that man or woman looking back? Forgive him/her. Give mercy to yourself for all the wrongs you’ve done that bring guilt to your heart.
When all is let go and all those bags of rocks are let down. Turn around. Look up and know the Father is pouring the grace of His Divine Mercy into your soul and through your heart.
Forgiveness that isn’t complete is hollow. Start now!