“Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting”.

Psalm 139:23-24

Daniel is one of my heroes of faith! His story not only teaches us history and foretells the future, but it also radiates integrity and righteousness.

Daniel lived during a time of tribulation. His life had been uprooted and his future was uncertain. He was held captive, conspired against, and given two death sentences. Still, he was fiercely devoted to the Lord. He was a man of prayer, gifted with wisdom, dream interpretations, and prophetic visions, who used these gifts to please and glorify God. He never wavered or took the easy way out. Rather, he confidently and courageously stood up for what and Who he believed in.

Much can be learned from the life of Daniel; wisdom, courage, and loyalty to name a few. But I believe there is a lesson of forgiveness as well. Daniel was faced with many opportunities that could have caused him to be bitter and vengeful. And I often wonder if his ministry would have been so fruitful if he had. Instead, what I see, is a wise man who earned respect by overlooking the wrongs of others (Proverbs 19:11), so that God could be glorified. Daniel knew that vengeance belonged to the Lord, so instead of focusing on what others had done to him, he focused on what he could do for the Lord. And the Lord blessed his actions! Daniel was rescued from death (twice!), his ministry was empowered, and the King and many others came to revere the Lord, because they saw the glory of God instead of the hostility of Daniel.

“O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help”

Psalm 86:5

Forgiveness is the foundation of our faith! Yet, it can be so difficult to stand firm on. Our choice to forgive is based on realizing that we are forgiven by a compassionate and loving God and that He desires for us to be children after his own heart, and partners in His work.

And what a joy it is to be forgiven and to be useful to God! Our effectiveness though can be hindered by the condition of our heart. If we are occupied by resentment or our energy is driven by anger or vengeance, our response to obedience will be diminished. Paul challenges us in 2 Corinthians 6:8 to “serve God whether people honor us or despise us,” and as we see this example in the life of Daniel, we have so much more to be thankful for! We have the Holy Spirit to guide us and the assurance of salvation to help us unleash His power when we let go of the hurts that we hold in our hearts.

Forgiveness exemplifies the love and mercy of Jesus, and when we like Daniel, overlook the wrongs that have been done to us, we too will glorify God, fanning the flame of the Holy Spirit, making a way for others to see His grace. God’s greatest gift was His gift of salvation through the forgiveness of our sin. And perhaps there is no greater gift you can offer back to Him than a heart that also forgives.

12 words

Forgiveness pleases the Lord, allowing us to be effective in His work

Dear God, search my heart and reveal the places that are holding me back from being all that you want me to be. Help me God to see and confess the hard feelings that I have harbored and help me to let them go. God, I want to please you and experience the freedom and the power that forgiveness brings. I want to be an example for years to come of the good things you have planned for me…but I cannot do it alone. Thank you for your unending mercy, your unfailing love, and for your saving grace. I love you Lord, Amen.

Scripture Reflection:
Ephesians 2:4-10
I Peter 3:9
Romans 12:17-19

Author’s Note: As with anything I write about, living out God’s Word is so much easier said than done! Good intentions can often be turned into discouragement as we live in this fallen world. And forgiveness is one of the Biblical principles that can be very challenging. It has many different aspects, so over the next two months, I will periodically be writing about some of them. As you read them, know that forgiveness rarely happens right away, and can sometimes take months or years to achieve. As you work through whatever you hold in your heart, whether it is trying to forgive, or waiting to be forgiven, be patient in your troubles and faithful in prayer, knowing that God is not done with you yet!