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.