Forgiveness - Grace in Action

2 Corinthians 2:7 (HCSB) - "As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief."

Everybody knows that living means that we will suffer hurts. Being hurt by someone is going to happen - and it usually is from someone who is very special to us. That hurt is even more painful.

Paul is admonishing the Church at Corinth that they needed to forgive a person in their midst (there is divergent interpretations of who this person is) for a sin that hurt the church. He is making a point that if someone is truly repentant and demonstrates godly sorrow - we as the body of Christ are to forgive them.

The word used in verse 7 and 10 here for forgive is a verb form of a the word usually translated as grace in the New Testament. He is telling us that forgiveness is really grace in action. Forgiveness always costs somebody something - and it is the one who is doing the forgiving that must pay the cost. So, when we forgive it should bring to mind the sacrifice that Jesus made upon the Cross (He paid for our forgiveness), and that should remind us of the grace we have received from God.

Today, ponder who do you need to forgive? Upon who do you need to practice "grace in action." As God has poured out His grace upon us - we need to pour out on others what we have received. Today - Do Grace!