So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of £Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:12-17 (NASB)
Friends, we have been looking at the pain of rejection this week, and yesterday I started outlining our usual responses to being rejected- anger and bitterness. The Christ-like response would be one of forgiveness.
You don't have to be a Bible scholar to understand that since God has forgiven us we are to be forgiving to other people. We are to forgive as we have been forgiven. We are all sinners saved by grace and nothing more. We have been forgiven our rejection of Christ, so why would we believe we could withhold forgiveness from others for the same kind of offense?
You don't have to feel forgiving because forgiveness is an act of faith. It is an act of your will to forgive and to determine to remember no more the rejection you have experienced.
Corrie Ten Boom said, "Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart."
When you resist the temptation to meditate on, dwell on, or cherish the hurt of rejection you will eventually be able to forget it. This demands you stop cherishing the hurt in your heart, and stop dwelling on it. Rather, choose to remember that you have forgiven the person or people who have rejected you.