About 2 years ago, I was defrauded by someone i considered a 'close friend' of a significant amount of money. The individual in question cut off all forms of communication with me and even deleted my contact from his facebook page. Taking a copy of his company letterhead paper, i tried to trace his office address only to get there and discover it was a fake address. The supposed location of his office happened to be a cake shop. It was at this point i realised what had befallen me. Every other effort to trace my 'fraudulent friend ' proved abortive.
You see this particular experience was painful for me beacause he was supposed to be someone i trusted and also because i had just come out of prison ( I was wrongly accused and detained for some months) and was still trying to 'get back on my feet'. I narrated my ordeal to another colleague who told me that if he were in my shoes he would kill that 'fraudulent friend' of mine.
To his amazement, i told him i had forgiven him and sincerely i have. I further explained to him that as painful as the experience was; it was the will of God for me to forgive him.
Beloved in Christ, it is a very dangerous thing to have unforgiveness and bitterness in our hearts as believers. The death and resurrection of our lord Jesus Christ would be in vain and salvation would be meaningless to such a person who harbors unforgiveness in his heart. The Bible clearly warns of the dangers attributed to unforgiveness. Jesus said in (Mathew 6:14-15) 'for if you forgive men their tresspasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their tresspasses, neither will your father forgive your tresspasses'.
Dear Beloved, this is not a joke; even if you are a 'christian', and have done many good works; if you pay the heaviest tithe in your church and pray from morning till night without ceasing but you are nurturing bitterness in your heart towards your brother, or sister or parents or spouse or friend or neighbour; such a person may find himself or herself in hell because of failure to forgive and remove every root of bitterness towards the one that offended him or her. Our father in heaven will also not forgive such a person for sins committed by that person when the person dies and stands before God. It is not i who says so but our Lord Jesus Christ (see Mathew 6: 14-15;& 18: 35 ). Is it not then wise to heed his warnings?
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