Biblical Building Block #6

Forbearing One Another (Colossians 3:13)

Colossians 3:13, Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Every day we encounter opportunities to get upset with people about something they did or said. If we let down our guard and indulge in these urges we will live in a continual state of frustration and strife, and our spiritual lives will suffer dramatically. Sometimes it can be very difficult to convince our minds to overlook a perceived slight, forgive the offender, and move on with our lives. However, the Bible offers us a powerful strategy that can be used to cultivate peace in our relationships: We must learn to extend grace to others and to realize that humans act human.

This verse specifically outlines how we are to respond to people in our lives who disappoint or upset us. And since life is filled with disappointments, it’s important for us to understand exactly what Paul meant when he wrote these words.

Forbearing one another in love means putting up with others; putting up with the things we dislike in others; or to have tolerance of one another in a spirit of love. It is the opposite act of being short tempered with others. It carries the idea of accepting the failures and flaws of others because we love them. This often involves taking the higher road by shutting our mouths and letting go of the offense or disappointment. This is the way relationships in the body of Christ work, as well.

This is certainly not an easy task. Instead of complaining when others are difficult to love, believers are called to endure and be patient with them. It is hard enough to be consistently pleasant to those we generally get along with. What a seemingly task to bear with those who are difficult to like. However, God’s Word says that we are to do just that. Bear with those who are unlovable.

Questions to Consider:

• Maybe you have a personal quarrel with someone right now and can even claim to have evidence to back it up. But is it really worth the lack of peace that it’s creating in your life?
• Is this a fight you should be fighting, or would it be more productive to just let it go and forget about it?
• Have you had other instances in your life when you got upset with someone and held on to it for a long time, but then you finally woke up and realized it wasn’t worth the lack of peace, so you decided to forgive?

Points to Ponder:

• I cannot control what others may say or do, but I am responsible for the condition of my own heart.
• I do not want to give place to the devil by indulging selfish thoughts or emotions.

Prayer, Father, I repent for allowing myself to become angry, frustrated, and unforgiving. That is wrong and I refuse to yield to selfishness any longer. No matter what has been said or done, I have no right to harbor ill will — especially when You have commanded me to forgive others as You have forgiven me. Lord, I deeply apologize. If I had been focused on You instead of myself, I would not have become upset in the first place. Help me to see this person and this situation through Your eyes. I choose to get over this offense right now. I let this drop and I refuse to think on my feelings anymore. Instead, I will seek to honor You in this matter. Holy Spirit, teach me how to love as Jesus loved me. In Jesus name, Amen.

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