DEVOTION – DAY 255

Job 42:10 “Forgiving Others”

 

Job 42:10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.

 

The book of Job records how God allowed Job to be tested by Satan. Job lost all his possessions and his children. Satan also afflicted him with painful sores in an attempt to get Job to curse God. But Job refused to blame God for his misfortunes. Then, Satan sent three of Job’s friends who took turns to malign Job suggesting that Job must have committed some bad sin to deserve all that had happened to him. They made serious accusations against Job in the mistaken belief that Job needed to confess his sins and repent before God. Such cruel accusations in addition to all his sufferings must have been hard on Job. Any normal person would have refused to have anything more to do with people who behaved like Job’s three friends.

 

God intervened in the end. God reprimanded Job’s three friends. God instructed them to go to Job and make a sacrifice offering. God told them that Job would pray for them. Job had to find it in his heart to forgive his three friends for all the hurt, abuse and false accusations they made against him. Job had to show that he had really forgiven them by praying to God to seek God’s forgiveness for his friends. Job had to ask God to forgive them, just as Job, himself had forgiven them. Job had to set aside any resentment and anger he had against his friends. And Job showed that he was willing to forgive and forget what his friends had said against him by praying for them. It was only after Job had shown his willingness to forgive his friends that God released His favor upon Job and restored all his fortunes abundantly. If Job had still harbored hatred or unforgiveness against his friends, that sin would be a barrier between him and God. It would have prevented God from showing favor to Job.

 

A woman became angry with her co-workers over some disagreement and misunderstanding. She cut off all ties and communication with her co-workers. She knew that it was wrong to harbor anger against her co-workers but her pride prevented her from apologizing for her actions. Her anger affected her, and God had to work in her heart to change it. After some time, she realized that she had to make an apology to her co-workers if she wanted nothing to stand in her way with God. She set aside her pride and asked for forgiveness from her co-workers. She also asked God to forgive her and she thanked God for giving her the strength to make the first move to seek reconciliation. Once she did that, she felt great relief. It was as if a great weight had been lifted off her.

 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, please help us to always check ourselves, and be the first one to forgive others, to be reconciled to others. Just as you have forgiven us, may we forgive others unconditionally. In the mighty name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen.

 

Questions

  1. How does unforgiveness affect us? What are we to do when there is unforgiveness in our lives?
  2. Who do you need to forgive and why? Will you call them to be reconciled to them?
  3. Why is it hard for us to forgive others who have hurt us? Discuss.