An Unforgiving Heart is Often Linked to Pride
Forgiveness is not an easy subject nor an easy task. Asking for forgiveness isn't always easy. The issue of asking for forgiveness and giving it is linked to humility. The issue of refusing to beg for forgiveness and/or withholding it from others is linked to pride. It's simple as "I'm too proud to beg for forgiveness!" and "What? I should forgive? That's ridiculous!"
It's often easy to confuse forgiveness with condoning to somebody's wrong actions. It's just like when a person confuses justice with revenge. What's the difference between forgiving and condoning to somebody's wrong actions? Forgiveness is defined as releasing ill feelings towards someone without otherwise condoning to wrong actions. It's like calling the police to arrest the cops you had caused you a great wrong. You may have forgiven the criminal but you still called the cops because it was out of duty. Justice is a social issue while revenge only cares about personal issues. Letting a criminal get what he or she deserves via authorities is justice. Going to the criminal's house and burning his or her house regardless of the consequences is revenge.
How is an unforgiving heart linked to pride? I realized the number of times I forgave was because I was humble enough to realize I owe God much more than they owed me. The number of times I realized that I refused to forgive was because my ego was hurt. An arrogant person always thinks about one's self. That's why the whole self-esteem movement is very defeating. A person may want to punish the offender themselves (rather than let the law do it) out of pride. A person may want to physically hurt someone for an insult out of pride. Cruel rulers often oppress people and give out unjust punishments out of pride.
A humble heart, on the other hand, acknowledges God's justice will eventually come to wrongdoers. It doesn't condone to what the wrongdoer did. All the while it acknowledges that two wrongs will never make a right. A humble heart is ready to let God's justice take place and let God-ordained offices do the punishment. If denied justice by worldly authorities - it would take the matter to God. It would choose to let God punish because the desire for revenge is often rooted in pride. It seeks to see sinners repent. It seeks to think of the greater good rather than one's own personal agenda. It refuses to hold a grudge which again is rooted in pride.
See also:
It's often easy to confuse forgiveness with condoning to somebody's wrong actions. It's just like when a person confuses justice with revenge. What's the difference between forgiving and condoning to somebody's wrong actions? Forgiveness is defined as releasing ill feelings towards someone without otherwise condoning to wrong actions. It's like calling the police to arrest the cops you had caused you a great wrong. You may have forgiven the criminal but you still called the cops because it was out of duty. Justice is a social issue while revenge only cares about personal issues. Letting a criminal get what he or she deserves via authorities is justice. Going to the criminal's house and burning his or her house regardless of the consequences is revenge.
How is an unforgiving heart linked to pride? I realized the number of times I forgave was because I was humble enough to realize I owe God much more than they owed me. The number of times I realized that I refused to forgive was because my ego was hurt. An arrogant person always thinks about one's self. That's why the whole self-esteem movement is very defeating. A person may want to punish the offender themselves (rather than let the law do it) out of pride. A person may want to physically hurt someone for an insult out of pride. Cruel rulers often oppress people and give out unjust punishments out of pride.
A humble heart, on the other hand, acknowledges God's justice will eventually come to wrongdoers. It doesn't condone to what the wrongdoer did. All the while it acknowledges that two wrongs will never make a right. A humble heart is ready to let God's justice take place and let God-ordained offices do the punishment. If denied justice by worldly authorities - it would take the matter to God. It would choose to let God punish because the desire for revenge is often rooted in pride. It seeks to see sinners repent. It seeks to think of the greater good rather than one's own personal agenda. It refuses to hold a grudge which again is rooted in pride.
See also:
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