"You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD." (Lev. 19:18)

A preacher once rebuked a Christian lady who had an unforgiving spirit toward someone who had offended her. After a moment's thought she replied, "Well, I guess I'll pardon her as you suggest, but I don't want anything more to do with her!" The preacher replied: "Is that how you want God to treat you? Do you wish His forgiveness and then have Him withdraw His love and fellowship?" Recognizing her wrong attitude, she repented and forgave the woman.

When God forgives our sins, He forever forgets them and holds them against us no more. "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Heb. 8:12) "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) Let us be forgiving even as God is forgiving.