Forgive when you are offended
If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have been instructed by Jesus in the Word of God to forgive. This is not an option but a requirement. Yes a Christian can be offended just like anyone else and begin to hold bitterness and unforgiveness in their hearts. We must quickly let this go and forgive the offender. The offender could be a Christian or a non-Christian, this does not matter. The person that belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ must forgive.
Matthew 18:21-22: Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.
This scripture shows that forgiveness in unlimited and should always be done quickly or else a mole hill will grow into a mountain. You see, Jesus forgave us, no matter what we have done. Jesus had so much mercy on us that He as God Himself hung on the cross and died to forgive us. In fact the Bible says that if we do not forgive we will be handed over to the tormentors.
Matthew 18:32-35 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.
These scriptures show that the Father will allow the tormenters to come to us if we don’t forgive from the heart. This is serious business and should be considered on a daily basis. We live in a world where everyone is out to get everyone else. As a Christian we cannot get caught up in the ways of the world or we will be delivered over to the tormentors. Forgiveness is something that the Father in heaven requires and is not based on whether we feel like forgiving or not.
Colossians 3:13: Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
The mercy and goodness of God was extended to all that will receive so we as Christians should extend this mercy to others also. Forgive when you are offended.