The Debt Has Been Paid!
by Kuya Daniel Carandang
BITTER.
When was the last time you experienced bitterness?
No, not about you taking a bite of your least favorite wrinkled and green-colored veggie. When was the last time you found yourself holding a grudge against someone?
For most teens, bitterness is usually associated with love life issues (admit it, just admit it). That sudden moment when you thought the guy actually liked you but in reality, he was just leading you on. Or that harsh event when you realize that this girl actually likes you...as a FRIEND. Some love-life related issues sometimes make us bitter than bitter gourds.
Yet bitterness does not only abound in usual petty love issues. We experience bitterness against our parents when they become unreasonable or when we feel that they just don't care that much. We hold grudges against our siblings who are selfish and only order us around. Sometimes, we can't bear to forgive that certain friend who betrayed our trust.
BITTERNESS.
The dictionary definition of bitterness is resentment/cynicism. However, the Bible defines bitterness as acridity or in other terms, poison.
When we are bitter, we carry this heavy feeling within us. Though we may not notice it, the grudge within us causes stress that affects us physically and emotionally. We usually feel weak and unwell after bitter arguments with one of our family members or friends. Afterwards, a heavy heart settles within us and all of a sudden, the good vibes we had before everything else is sapped away from us, leaving us tired and restless for the day.
Bitterness plays with our emotions and physical strength!
When we are faced with bitterness, we have two options:
- to continue being bitter (and unhappy for the rest of our sad, sad life)
or
- forgive
Should we choose the first option, let's not be surprised when we are in bad mood most of the time and wrinkles developing early in our faces.
Yet should we choose the latter option, we are choosing the best solution to overcome bitterness: FORGIVE.
You might be asking: "Why on earth should I forgive him/her? He/she did me wrong and wasn't even sorry for it. Why should I forgive a person like that?"
I'll tell you why.
"31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."
Ephesians 4:31-32
FORGIVE...because CHRIST FORGAVE YOU.
Our pride can sometimes get the best of us. We belittle or even degrade the morality of the person who did us wrong yet we forget that we are no different from him/her. How? Because we are SINNERS and SINNERS have done all the wrong against the Great One in the Universe.
We fail to realize that God has more than enough reason to be bitter against us. We sin everyday, don't we? We lie, we cheat, we hurt others. Our God is perfect and He simply cannot stand sin. But here we are, his creations, sinning every day and showing it to His face. As stated in Ephesians 2:1-3:
2 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
We are no different from those who hurt us. Like them, we have also offended Someone greater. God has every right to be angry with us. Have we really understood the BIG DEBT we owe God?
The only way we can learn real forgiveness is to experience real forgiveness itself. And that can be found in Jesus.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-6
Despite everything that we have done against Him, God still chose to forgive us because He loves us unconditionally. In order to save us from a tragic end in Hell, God sent His son, Jesus, to die for sins he did not commit for us to have eternal life with Him. Even though we do not deserve it, He still included us in His family.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
Psalm 103:11-12
God removed our transgressions through His Son, Jesus. Despite being innocent and blameless, Jesus paid for our debt. This is an evidence of real forgiveness.
Let us not be one with the world who believes that we should hurt those who hurt us. Instead, our rightful response must be to forgive because Christ forgave us. If God can forgive others, why can't we?
As stated in Ephesians 4:31-32, we should get rid of bitterness! Difficult, yes but we should make an effort to be pleasant and happy, rather than live a life walking among others with dark clouds hovering above our heads. God says that we should love and forgive one another just as He did with us.
Don't let bitterness suck the joy out of our lives!
The Debt has been cancelled and we should also cancel the debt of other :)
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9
Have a GV-Filled WEEK! :D
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