The New Year - by Wanda Hess

The New Year is here. It took 365 days to get here! For many the New Year brings thoughts of New Year’s resolutions.  Some of those new year’ resolutions have been attached to a bucket list.  Many think of a new year as a clean slate.  A clean slate can change your character (and we hope for the good). As a new year is here we should think of what matters the most to us.  Church – Family – relationships to name a few.  Relationships involve many times “forgiveness”.  Are you a forgiving person? Do you have a forgiving characteristic?  GOD offers forgiveness to everyone. Hebrews 8:12 I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins. Can you do that? Could that be a new year’s resolution? Forgiveness.  It is something you should give yourself.  You will make mistakes. We all do.  GOD forgives you; you should forgive yourself too.  Forgiveness is a stunning principle, your ticket out of hate and fear and chaos. How many times you’ve been forgiven? GOD doesn’t keep a scorecard of the number of times. GOD forgives and forgets.  We say we can forgive but what about the forgetting part?  Should this be added to your new year’s resolution?  To be able to forgive those who harm me with words to my face and the words behind my back. Since GOD has given the gift of forgiveness to you, He wants you, too, to pass it along to others.  If you wish to grow closer to GOD, forgiveness needs to be part of your spiritual life. Because everyone needs to be forgiven for something at some time, you may even need to forgive yourself for a weakness, mistakes or poor decisions.  GOD’s forgiveness of you- can wipe the slate of your heart clean and give your faith a fresh start. Romans 4:7 what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Should forgiveness be added to your character?