Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading – Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Theme: SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS, KEY TO HEALTHY LIVING

Text: “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” – Luke 17:3, 4.

Comment: This admonition on forgiveness by our Lord Jesus Christ goes a long way to clear one’s mind of ill-feelings, and makes for peaceful co-existence. As imperfect creatures, people hurt or offend one another from time to time. It is by calling the person’s attention to his errors that issues could be thrashed out and normal relations restored.  Christ warns us to ensure that once the offender regrets his actions by apologising, he should be forgiven. In any case we pray God to forgive us our trespasses even as we forgive those who trespass against us. – Matthew 6:12

A study sponsored by the Pennsylvania-based John Templeton Foundation, shows that nursing a hurt leads to agitation and hostility that linger even after a person stops thinking about the incident and that ‘people who don’t forgive could be setting themselves up for future health problems ranging from mild depression to acute cardiovascular woes.’ Also Joseph Neumann, PhD, a clinical psychologist at East Tennessee State University, states that when he treated patients with cardiovascular diseases, he was struck “by how many were bitter, angry, and depressed,” and that “It clearly affected their health and their ability to heal.” Jesus Christ stated: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”. – Matthew 6:14, 15.