“And whenever you stand praying,
if you have anything against anyone, forgive him,
that your Father in heaven
may also forgive you your trespasses.
But if you do not forgive,
neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Mark 11:25,26

God does say He won't forgive us unless we forgive.
He knows us well.

Pride is the biggest barrier to forgiving.
Our desires to look good and to be right are pride-based
and they often keep us from admitting our wrongs
and insist that we focus on another's wrong.
Sometimes it is our response to another's wrong that is our sin.
But it is only as we realize our need for forgiveness,
acknowledge our wrong, express our sorrow, and change our way
that we will be able to forgive others.

Forgiving is a requirement if we want to be forgiven.
It is humbling to acknowledge our wrong to another,
to ask for the forgiveness that we need,
but it is that brokenness that God desires.

Unless we are broken,
aware of our sin and its eternal consequences,
we have no need for God, His forgiveness,
and the healing that that brings to us and our relationships.
We forgive more readily
when we realize how much we have been forgiven!

Twila Charles Leichty - L5