“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” “…(Love) It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.” From Ken Sande’s book, Peacemaking for Families, here are four concrete promises one must “choose” to make to truly forgive another:
Conflict always begins with some kind of desire; and of course, we have both good desires and bad desires. When we dwell on our disappointments and allow them to control our lives, this can result in self-pity and bitterness (bad desires) toward a person. Here are some downward spirals of heart idols that we can fall into:
The cure for our idolatrous heart is the gospel. God has provided deliverance for us by sending His Son to experience the punishment that we all deserve because of our sin. Because He has forgiven us, we can forgive one another. Through Jesus Christ we can become righteous in God’s sight and find freedom from sin and idolatry (Romans 8:1-2). In the power of the Holy Spirit, we can replace our hearts idols with true worship of the One, true God. When we turn to God and respect His commands, it liberates us from looking to other people or things for our satisfaction. Jesus is the only One that has the power to truly satisfy our heart desires. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
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In John 11:38-45, we witness one of the most powerful miracles in Jesus' ministry—the raising of Lazarus from the dead. This event is not just a demonstration of Christ’s ability to perform miracles, but a profound revelation of His divine authority over life and death. Jesus Has the Power Over DeathWhen Jesus arrives at Lazarus’ tomb, He is deeply moved. Death is a reality of our fallen world, but Christ came to conquer it. He commands the stone to be rolled away, despite Martha’s concern about the stench of her brother’s four-day-old grave. Then, with divine authority, Jesus calls out, “Lazarus, come forth!”—and Lazarus walks out of the tomb, alive! This act is a foreshadowing of Jesus’ ultimate victory over death through His own resurrection. Jesus Removes BarriersBefore performing the miracle, Jesus challenges unbelief. “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). Often, we place barriers between ourselves and God’s power—whether it’s doubt, fear, or past experiences. But Christ calls us to trust Him beyond what we can see. Jesus Demonstrates the Power of PrayerBefore calling Lazarus forth, Jesus prays, thanking the Father for already hearing Him. His prayer is not for His own benefit, but so that those around might believe in Him. This reminds us that prayer is not just about making requests—it’s about aligning our hearts with God’s will and believing in His power. Jesus Gives New LifeWhen Lazarus emerges from the tomb, he is still wrapped in grave clothes. Jesus instructs those around him, “Loose him, and let him go” (John 11:44). This is a picture of salvation. When Christ calls us from spiritual death, we are given new life, but we must also remove the remnants of our old ways. Believe and LiveMany who witnessed this miracle believed in Jesus. The same invitation is extended to us today—do we believe in His power to give us life? The resurrection of Lazarus points to the greater resurrection of Christ, through whom we have eternal life. Jesus not only has power over death, but He offers that victory to all who trust in Him. Will you believe?
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