"Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us."
Do you make it a practice to forgive those who sin against you? Have you learned to let go of the resentment that comes when someone does something wrong to you? Are you able to forgive and then forget? Many believer's struggle with this part of the Lord's prayer. Failure to understand this truth for today can lead to a terrible result in your life. It may be human nature to hold a grudge and vow to never forget a harm done to you, but what about God's nature? If you can not wait to pay back any harm done to you and you are unwilling to forget it, then ask yourself this question; what would happen to you if God took this same position with you?
Some translations refer to forgiving our debts. We are admonished to forgive our debtors. The reason is that the Lord paid the price for our sins and has forgiven us and He expects us to act the same way and forgive those that owe a debt to us. We no longer have a debt and their will be no cost for our sins. The Lord has forgiven and forgotten your debt and sin. The Lord expects you to act in the same way with others. If you forgive someone their debt they no longer have an obligation to you. Have you done this with others in your family or with your friends. It goes a step further, the Lord expects you to forgive your enemies also. If you do not practice forgiveness, why should the Lord forgive you? It is time for you to forgive those who sin against you.
The one who is forgiven has no more consequences from their sin or debt. The one who fails to forgive is the only one who will have a consequence. They will carry the burden and they will have to pay the price for the debt that they have not forgotten. You only harm yourself when you fail to forgive others . The real danger is that you failed to hear and obey God's charge to you. If you expect God to forgive your sin or debt, can you do anything less to those who have sinned against you? If you believe God, you believe in FORGIVENESS!
