Matthew 6:14-15 - For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

In this passage from Matthew 6, Jesus teaches His disciples about the importance of forgiveness. He tells them that if they forgive others for their wrongdoings, then God will also forgive them for their sins. However, if they refuse to forgive others, then God will not forgive them either. Jesus wants His followers to have a forgiving spirit. He knows that as sinners who have been forgiven much, we must be quick to forgive others for any wrongs against us. An unforgiving heart shows that we may not fully appreciate the forgiveness that God offers us through Jesus.

This Bible reading serves as a sobering reminder that an unforgiving spirit has no place among Christ's followers. As those who have been shown immense grace and mercy through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are called to extend that same grace to others. Yet how easy it is for us to cling to bitterness, resentment, and a desire for vengeance when we have been wronged or hurt by another. We want the offending party to suffer as we have suffered - to feel the pain and grief that their actions caused us. But Jesus calls us to a higher standard. He calls us to forgive as we have been forgiven - freely and fully, without condition or limit. An unforgiving heart is one that has not truly experienced the radical, life-changing forgiveness of God. It is a heart that is still focused on itself and its own hurts rather than on the incredible mercy that has been shown to it. May this passage convict us of any areas in our lives where forgiveness is lacking. And may it spur us to lay down our pride and resentment, in order to freely offer the forgiveness we have so richly received from God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the indescribable gift of forgiveness that You offer through Your Son Jesus. I praise You that through His death and resurrection, all of my sins - past, present, and future - have been washed away. Yet I confess that there are still times when I cling to bitterness and refuse to forgive others as You have forgiven me. Convict my heart of any areas where forgiveness is lacking. Help me to see others the way You see them - as precious souls for whom Jesus died. Give me grace to lay down my pride and let go of any resentment I harbor. I pray that from this day forward, my heart and life would be characterized by Your radical, unconditional forgiveness. May I reflect the mercy that has been so freely given to me. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.