WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MARCH 27, 2025
TOPIC: WHAT UNFORGIVENESS WILL COST YOU
BY T. O. BANSO
“Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven’” (Matthew 18:21-22 New King James Version).
Jesus commanded His followers to forgive those who offend them. Luke 17:3-4 says, “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive” (New Living Translation). Whether the person who offends you is a Christian or not, forgive him. If he asks for forgiveness, it may make forgiveness easier, but it should not be a condition for forgiveness.
If you’re born again, you’re a beneficiary of God’s forgiveness. If God has not forgiven you, you would not have become His child. God sent Jesus to come and die for our sins (1 Peter 3:18). According to Galatians 1:4, “Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live” (New Living Translation).1 Corinthians 15:3 states that Christ died for our sins as the Scriptures said.
In doing that, Jesus had to shed His blood because, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:22). In Christ, we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins (Colossians 1:14). According to Psalm 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (New King James Version). East to west is unending, limitless, or infinite. In other words, the removal of our sins is unending.
Therefore, if you’re a beneficiary of God’s forgiveness, you’ll be ungrateful not to forgive those who wrong you. You’ll be like that servant in Matthew 18:31-35 who was forgiven a huge debt by the king, but went to arrest a fellow servant who owed him a little amount and jailed him until he would be able to pay the debt in full. This was despite the servant’s plea to be patient with him, just as the unforgiving servant had pleaded, and the king forgave him. Whatever offence anyone commits against you is far less than the sins God forgave you.
The Word of God says you should forgive from your heart anyone who wrongs you. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Matthew 18:35 New International Version). Note the phrase “from your heart.” Forgive others from your heart, not insincere forgiveness.
Forgive those who wrong you, whether they ask for it or not. That’s not because of the people, but because of yourself. Jesus said there should be no limit to forgiveness. That’s the meaning of Matthew 18:21-22: “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven’” (New King James Version). Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. Forgive.
If you don’t forgive, unforgiveness will cost you the following:
1. Unforgiveness will deny you of God’s forgiveness and will hinder your prayers. Jesus says in Mark 11:25-26 that unforgiveness will prevent God from forgiving your sins when you pray. This means it can prevent God from granting your other requests. Unforgiveness is a sin that will hinder your prayers. Forgive.
2. Unforgiveness opens the door of your life to Satan. Unforgiveness gives Satan a foothold – an advantage or room to operate in your life. “Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11 New King James Version).
Just as “anger gives a foothold to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27 New Living Translation), unforgiveness does also. In other words, unforgiveness will give the devil an opportunity, allowing him to cause problems for believers. Don’t let him succeed in your life.
3. Unforgiveness will cause you spiritual and physical ill-health. Unforgiveness will negatively affect your fellowship with God. As seen earlier, unforgiveness will hinder your prayers. Unforgiveness will also destroy your relationships with others, causing emotional problems and ill-health. Unforgiveness has been associated with bodily pain, headache, heart problems, and even a weak immune system.
Unforgiveness can hinder divine healing. “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16 New Living Translation). Even some healthcare providers have included “forgiveness therapy” in the treatment of some health conditions. Forgiveness has significant health benefits. You will have peace of mind. You will also become healthier, and your relationships richer.
4. Unforgiveness will rob you of seeing God fight for you. Forgiveness implies that you have refused to fight your battle yourself; you have left justice to God, who alone can give true justice. The latter part of Isaiah 30:18 says, “For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him” (New King James Version). The Lord says in Romans 12:19, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (New King James Version).
If you don’t forgive, you disallow God from fighting your battles. Fighting your battles will make you miserable, even when you think you are winning or seem to be winning.
5. Unforgiveness will hinder your progress. Holding on to past offences ties you to the past. Whenever you want to think about tomorrow or the future, you’ll be drawn back by that incident. Is that how you want to continue to live your life? You must let bygones be bygones.
Joseph, in the Bible, didn’t hold anything against his brother, who sold him into slavery. He told them that they meant evil against him, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive. He told them not to be afraid; he would provide for them and their little ones. He comforted them and spoke kindly to them (Genesis 50:19-21).
The cost of unforgiveness is huge. Are you ready to pay for it? Proverbs 17:9 says, “You will keep your friends if you forgive them, but you will lose your friends if you keep talking about what they did wrong” (Contemporary English Version).
Forgive your spouse, parents, children, siblings, friends, relations, neighbours, and whoever has wronged you, not only for their sakes but for yours. Forgive them, no matter what they have done. Don’t say like some people that you will not forgive, until you die, those who have wronged you.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I repent of unforgiveness in my life. I forgive and release everyone who has offended me. Father, help me to restore the relationships that my unforgiving attitude has destroyed. Touch the heart of every unforgiving person today and let them repent and begin to forgive.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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