I’m sure you’ve heard the saying before – “You are your own worst enemy.” There are times it sure seems we make heaps of trouble for ourselves. Especially when we let our hearts fill with pride.
Recently, in having a disagreement with someone, I found myself thinking “I don’t deserve to be treated this way.” Immediately I felt the Holy Spirit convict me: “You’re right. You deserve to be treated worse. The punishment for sin is death. The grace you have wasn’t earned, it was given by God. You have everlasting life, not because you deserve it, but because God gives mercy to people who don’t deserve it.”
How true that is. Even when we’re mistreated by someone, we can forgive when we remember that Jesus was mistreated – far worse than anything we’ve ever known – on our behalf.
When we struggle to overlook another’s offense, it helps to remind ourselves of this truth, “If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, for you are worse than he thinks you to be.” – Charles Spurgeon
Remembering who we are without Christ – hopelessly lost, stuck in our sin, and on our way to eternal separation from God – is a humbling thought.
To be clear, I’m not calling you to beat yourself up. Created in the image of God, we have value and worth. But when we remember our sin, then we remember we have a Savior. Our gaze shifts from ourselves to Jesus, and that already puts us in a better place to forgive.
Forgiveness paints a beautiful picture of Christ’s love, gives Him glory, and brings blessing for our obedience. So may we forgive with loving hearts, thanking God for Christ’s blood… Blood which paid our debt, making us not only forgiven, but sons and daughters of the Most High.
© Grace Baeten 2021
The Misplaced Mom 
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