Off The Hook

Forgiveness is a necessity in the walk of the believer.  "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" is part of the Lord's prayer that is commonly repeated.  The challenge of forgiving others was brought out by Peter when he asked, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times"  I'm sure Peter was thinking he was being generous when he suggested that seven times would be sufficient.  But Jesus' answer was, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."  Ha ha, this was forgiveness that went beyond anything Peter would have imagined!  The matter of forgiveness is a very big deal for the believer.  One day a man said, "So should I let him off the hook?"  The answer is "Yes".  If he is on your hook, then you are tied to him.  Your life will always be affected by what the other person did, as long as you keep him on the hook for it.  You will never be free of that negative emotional tie until you forgive and let him off your hook.  Getting a hook caught in your flesh is a very serious situation.  My son Caleb and I went on a fishing trip when he was a boy.  About the second cast, his hook got caught in the rocks behind us.  We both reached for the hook, and somehow the hook ended up going into his finger.  After a trip to the hospital, and the doctor cutting the hook, and pushing it through the finger, Caleb was finally free of the hook.  That hook in his flesh stopped everything, because of the seriousness of the pain, and eventual infection.  We should treat every bit of resentment, and unforgiveness like that hook.  GET THE HOOK OUT!  You cannot afford to hold a hook in your flesh, or in someone else's life!  It causes too much pain, and negatively affects the rest of your life.  We find that when we forgive others, we get free ourselves.  The greatest benefit of forgiving others, is that we free ourselves from bitterness.  We must lay down the feeling that someone owes us something, that they have an obligation toward us to treat us a certain way.  When we release people, and forgive them of their debts toward us, we become free to love and move forward.  You can't move forward as long as you are tied to the past!  Fishing line can be almost invisible, but still is very strong.  Cut the line!  Let him off the hook!  Be free from the past, and move on into the plan of God for your life.

Have I got all the hooks out of my life from the past?