FORBEARING AND FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER

                                          By A. W. Tozer
 

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

                I do not believe that a spirit of resentment can dwell in
             a loving heart.

                In the course of scores of conferences and hundreds
             of conversations,  I have many times heard people say:
             "I resent that!"

                But I have never heard those words used by any man
             or woman living in conscious Christian victory!

                Before resentment can enter, love must take its flight
             and bitterness take over.  The bitter soul will compile a
             list of slights at which it takes offense and will watch
             over itself like a mother bear over her cubs.

                Few sights are more depressing than that of a
             professed Christian defending his supposed rights and
             bitterly resisting any attempt to violate them.  Such a
             Christian has never accepted the way of the cross.  The
             sweet graces of meekness and humility are unknown to
             him.

                The only cure for this sort of thing is to die to self and
             rise with Christ into newness of life.  The man who sets
             the will of God as his goal will reach that goal, not by
             self-defense, but by self-abnegation.  Then no matter
             what sort of treatment he receives from his fellow men,
             he will be altogether at peace.

                The will of God has been done -- whether by curses or
             compliments he cares not, for he seeks not one or the
             other, but only to do the will of God at any cost!

                If there be some who take pleasure in holding him
             down, he is still content within himself, and will not
             resent them, for he seeks not advancement, but the
             will of God.
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             Yours in Christ,
             Paul N. F.