Sunday's reading on Daily Bread struck me...
It wrote,
A little boy got into a fight with his brother and the whole experience left him feeling bitter. When his brother wanted to make things right, he refused to listen. In fact, he would not speak to his brother all day.
Bedtime came, and his mother said to the boy, "Don't you think you should forgive your brother before you go to sleep? Remember, the Bible says, ' Do not let the sun go down on your wrath' " (Ephesians 4:26). The boy looked perplexed. He thought for a few moments and then blurted our, "But how can I keep the sun from going down?"
He reminds me of some Christians. They're angry at certain people and hold grudges. When they are confronted with their unforgiving attitude and urged to make things right, they sidestep the issue and refuse to heed the clear instruction of Scripture. True, we cannot change another person's heart, but we are responsible for our own attitude. The Bible says,"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32).
No, we can't keep the sun from going down. But we can keep it from setting-on our anger. And that means we must forgive. =Richard De Haan
Anger, malice, and ill will
Can leave a stain of sorrow;
Ask forgiveness by His grace
Before it is tomorrow!
=Bosch=
For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness
...
How true this is. This reading made me reflect on daily trials faced in relationships and friendships. Is this why relationships break down and family units tear apart? Is this also why couples break up when faced with challenges? Is this why friendships turn sour??? True to cliche words, it is easier said than done.
Reading this over and over again, I thought of what someone once told me. Should something come along and cause a rift between you and your loved one, both parties must kneel and beg for forgiveness from God. All the more I am determined to live in faith, to forgive wrongs done to me by others when I am reminded of how I was forgiven time and again by Him. All the more I am determined to stay strong and firm like roots having a firm hold on good soil in all kinds of weather. All the more I am determined never to repeat past mistakes.
But it takes two hands to clap. Likewise, in all relationships, both parties have to have the same mindset. I pray only that this will be the case for everyone =)
