“Denial” or Forgiveness?

I just received a scathing e-mail from someone (not the first bitter diatribe from this person), lamblasting my family and saying that we are all in “denial.” I think that he’s confusing denial with walking in forgiveness. If we choose to walk in forgiveness, we are able to move forward knowing that God loves all men with the same passion and sent His Son as a sacrifice for each of us. (“(God) desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” I Tim. 2:4) This doesn’t mean we’re denying the fact that someone sinned, but it does mean that we’re not holding it against the other person. “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

The author of said e-mail chooses to continually talk about all the ways people have cheated or hurt him in the past. He blames everyone in his life for all of his problems. He is also one of the most angry and bitter people I know. In the past, I have tried to explain that I choose to walk in forgiveness toward those who have harmed me, but he calls it “denial.”

I choose to believe what God says about how we should respond to people:

“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” Matthew 5:44

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8

Loving our enemies and choosing to build each other up don’t come naturally. That’s why we must depend on the supernatural to gird us. If the Spirit of God dwells in us, He will give us God’s supernatural ability to forgive those who have sinned against us. I pray that God will help me choose to forgive, even those who continue to verbally attack me and my family. God knows that I can’t do it without His help.

“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”