INCREASE OUR FAITH!

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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Have you ever found it difficult to forgive someone who has wronged you, especially if they should have known better? I know, dumb question, of course you have. It is wildly challenging for any of us to show real love and mercy to those people who knew that what they were doing was wrong, but they did it anyway. What can be done to help us learn to forgive in this way? 

Good question. 

Let’s read this teaching from the Lord and listen to what Jesus has to say on the matter:

1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 So watch yourselves. 

“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” 

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. 

(Luke 17:1-6 NIV11)

Part One

In the first part of this teaching from the Lord we hear a powerful truth that we need to take on board. Jesus acknowledges the truth that in this life, people will hurt us. Yep. People will let us down, harm us, lie to us and about us. We will experience pain because of the evil and sinful acts of other sinners who need the grace of Jesus Christ. 

But Jesus does more than simply acknowledge the sinfulness of humanity, he makes it clear that those who do these acts of evil against us will be help to account for their actions. The Lord will ensure that justice is done. 

It is important that we hear this truth before we consider our response to those who harm us. Should we choose to forgive those who hurt us, we are not in any way diminishing their accountability. They will face God’s justice in a way that fits within the will and work of the Lord. 

This is a major fear that many good friends of mine have when they consider the implications of forgiving someone who has done them wrong. They will not turn their pain over to the Lord and be set free from bitterness and anger because they fear that this will be the end of their search for justice. Not so. The Lord will avenge. 

Part Two

Jesus uses stark and challenging language to speak to the fact that we need to forgive those who sin against us. If someone from the church, someone who should know better, sins against you and harms you, it can be a real challenge to show them grace. After all, they claim to be recipients of God’s love and gift of salvation; surely they should know better. 

Jesus Christ teaches us to forgive those who repent of their sins against us. If those who have harmed you come to you and acknowledge their failure and ask for your forgiveness, how can we say no? After all, we have been forgiven for so much by Christ. 

Part Three

How did Jesus’ disciples respond to this challenging word? They said, “Increase our faith!”

The disciples understood the depth of what Jesus was calling them to do as they sought to forgive those who sinned against them. They knew that they did not have this kind of love and mercy within their own hearts, and so they called on Jesus for help. 

And how did the Lord reply?

Jesus made it clear that if we will lean on the power and strength of the Lord, working in and through us, we will find all the strength we really need to show forgiveness and mercy to others. As we step out in faith, calling on the Lord’s provision, we find that the Lord meets our need and moves whatever obstacle stands between us and freedom from the weight of unforgiveness. 

Prayer

If you are struggling to forgive someone who has hurt you, consider the following prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, I acknowledge that I too am a sinner saved by your gift of grace. I am no better or worse than the person who has hurt me. I am wholly dependent upon your love and mercy and I would be completely lost without your truth and guidance. Help me to give over to you all that stands as an obstacle to forgiving those who have hurt me. Help me step away from bitterness and anger and into the freedom of your grace.

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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