Daily Devo
Your Story for God's Glory
By: Lola Oni
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12
Many famous stories start out with "once upon a time"... but the best story of all really happened! It was a love story, not a folk tale. The story I'm talking about happened at Calvary, and it's the opening chapter of every Christ Followers' personal story. At Calvary, the price of our redemption was lovingly paid when the Lord Jesus took our place on the cross. He set us free; His story is our beginning. But it's not only our beginning... when we asked Him to be our savior, He became the author and finisher of our personal story.
He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all- how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32
Most of us like to receive gifts, especially when they come from our gracious Heavenly Father. Choosing to receive His gift of forgiveness helps us put away our past, embrace our new life in Christ, and move forward in our calling. Wherever the Lord leads us, we must be confident to go because His Grace will always sustain us. (Psalm 32:8) After all, God wants the best for us, so He wants us to fully receive His gracious forgiveness. When we completely accept His forgiveness, it leads us into a deep, thriving, personal relationship with Him.
Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Some of the burdens we carry are not really ours to bear. When God forgave us, He set us free from the burden of unforgiveness towards others. When the Son sets us free, we are completely free (John 8:36). In our newfound freedom, we are called to "pay it forward" by freely forgiving others, no matter how difficult it seems. Forgiveness isn't a feeling, it's a choice, and an act of obedience to God. Our freedom in Christ means our past hurts and anything associated with them no longer have any authority over us. Forgiveness allows us to move forward and enter the abundant life God has set before us; Unforgiveness is a deadly poison! When we "let it go" by forgiving someone, we're giving God those past hurts and trespasses. Christ follower, don't you think He can handle them much better than we ever could?
Ask God to help you forgive others as He forgave you. When He heals your past hurts, ask Him to supernaturally use your story for His glory!
Read: Jeremiah 29:11, John 3:16