Forgive others so that God can forgive you. Mark 11:25

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

NIV: And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Jesus taught us to pray and many know the prayer by heart. This was a format of how we should pray to our Heavenly Father. A crucial part of our prayer should entail asking God for forgiveness. We may not take into account the sins we commit in a day, the little "white" lies we tell, the stoplights we run, or even the people we hurt with our harsh words. There are so many things we may do that we may not remember and it's only when we reflect on our day or on our sins that we may realize where we went wrong. However, we may do little things that are so much a part of us that we may see no wrong in what we do, but the Father in Heaven does, therefore, to cover us in a sense, we ask for Him to forgive us of our sins.

The part of the prayer Jesus taught us that speaks about forgiveness comes with a condition."And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us..." This condition clearly states and we clearly state, if we pray this prayer, that we want God to forgive our sins, just as
we will forgive those who do us wrong. 

I believe Jesus taught us this because one cannot exist without the other. How much of a hypocrite would we be if we are begging for God's forgiveness when we cannot come to the point where we forgive others for what they may have done us. It doesn't add up. In our quest for holiness as Christians and believers, God wants us to be righteous so we can be more powerful. Sometimes we let things of this life get in the way of us reaching our full potential in Christ. One of those very things is not letting go, not forgiving our fellow brothers and sisters, and holding on to every bad thing someone has done to you. How can you possibly grow? You are stifling your own growth!

There are things that people do to hurt each other daily, consciously and sometimes they are so selfish that they are unconscious of anybody's feelings but theirs. Hopefully, they get to the point where they realize their wrongs and ask for forgiveness but what happens if they never do? Would you still hold it against them?

"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”  says the Lord. Romans 12:19 

"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:18

Therefore, let go and let God. Don't let someone else get in the way of your relationship with your Heavenly Father. Reap your benefits on earth and in heaven, activate the power that God has given us. The only way to do so is to do as He says. Forgive and don't give it a second thought, instead pray for those that do you wrong and let God handle the rest.

We are on a mission to be more Christ-like, therefore we must heed His words. God loves you and He wants the very best for you. Be encouraged.

Don't forget to share this message with a friend. God bless you!