What I found is that sometimes God puts us around difficult people because he wants to show his love, mercy, goodness, and forgiveness through us. Many do not know God, nor his love but you can be that vessel that God uses to show people and the world these things (Matthew 5:16). When you love, forgive, and show mercy you are showing God. Because God is love. Showing love to the unlovely people is what God especially wants us to do. "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the
unrighteous. 46
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5: 45-48). When you show love to the unlovely you are acting like children of God. (Matthew 5: 45) Love is not conditional it is unconditional in every way. If you do not believe that, then look at how much God has forgiven you and showed his unconditional love towards you all the times that you have messed up. God should have left you with all that you have done and you would deserve it. But God's love is unconditional and it does not change thus we should be perfect in love as our heavenly father is perfect in love. (Matthew 5:48)
Now, lets get to why God wants us to forgive those that have hurt us (unlovely). Anyone that is acting in a negative towards you is hurting on the inside. You can only give out what you have. If you are miserable you will give out misery, if you are happy you will give out happiness. "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit." (Matthew 7:18). So with that said, those that hurt you are hurting inside and are in misery. You know now that there must be something seriously wrong in their lives for them to act the way that they are acting in the first place. We pray for those that hurt us because we know that they are suffering and in need of help. Their negative actions is their way of crying out for help. The enemy's plan is to use those that are miserable to get us offended so that we can be miserable ourselves. If you are in unforgiveness you will be miserable because what comes along with unforgiveness is depression, misery, hurt, and strife that will lead you down into a pit of destruction. Forgiveness is God's tool to stop the enemy from getting into your life and making you miserable.
Thus we forgive to #1. To keep the devil out of our lives. We are in Jesus (The son of God) and when we are in Jesus we are in God (God is love). So when we walk out of love (God) we walk out of God's protection for our lives. Mercy and forgiveness is God's tool to keep the enemy out of our lives and keeps his protection on us. When we walk in mercy, love, and forgiveness the enemy can not come near you because you are surrounded by God's protection (Love).
#2. We forgive to keep God from throwing us in prison and give us to the tortures. I used to wonder who were the tortures God would would give us too if we didn't forgive. And why would he do that in the first place? This can be seen in the story of the ungrateful servant in Matthew 18 23-35.
23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
The tortures God was talking about was the tortures of anger, bitterness, strife, hurt, pain, and negativity. So why would God give us to these tortures in the first place? Is unforgiveness that bad? YES IT IS!! This can be seen in Matthew 5:21-25
21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother has already committed murder and will be subject to judgment.
If we do not forgive we have essentially committed murder in our hearts. Thus God will not let a murder go he has to throw them in prison because of his perfect justice. Would you let a murder go? I think not. You will throw them in jail and make them pay the last penny as Jesus said in Matthew 5:26. So in order to keep God from throwing us into prison and and giving us to the tortures of misery, sadness, depression, strife and negativity we forgive. Remember what God said in Matthew 18: 33 "Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?" do not be like the ungrateful servant. Forgive and be free from prison and the tortures
#3. We forgive to be like our perfect heavenly father. God is perfect love and perfect love is rooted in mercy, love and forgiveness. God has not only forgiven you of your debt but has not remember the situation where you or when you've sinned. And I repeat as God said in Matthew 18:33 "Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?" Forgive others of their debt and do not bring up the situation as God has done for you. Maybe the people who are unlovely have been molested growing up, maybe they have been hurt by a church member, maybe they have gone through a death of a close loved one, maybe they have experienced betrayal in their lives. Only God knows. The point is, do not look at what people do, but what they must be going through. Mercy is the heart of the law of Jesus. Listen to this
YouTube - Staying Free of Offenses Pt. 3
