Forgiveness Starts with Me.

Even if you have been slandered, mistreated, and shamed by someone in authority at a church, while it is normal to feel hurt and angry, we must let God fight this battle. I personally want to rain fire down, but I’m told in the Old Testament that I only need to be still and let God fight the battle for me.

I do think it’s interesting to note that while God requires me to forgive, he requires me to repent to receive His forgiveness. Less-than-honorable leadership in the church doesn’t require them to repent to me for me to forgive, but spiritual repentance requires a complete turning away from unbiblical behavior. If they don’t, that’s when we get to shake the dust and treat them as unbelievers.