Forgive Any Complaint

“Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” –Colossians 3:13

Having put off the old self which held onto anger and used our lips for slander and unclean talk to hurt others (Colossians 3:8), the Christian died to the old self and raised by Christ’s resurrection power to a new self clothed with compassionate hearts (Colossians 3:12). As new creations in Christ, the Christian now receives the command to love one another in the church. One fruit of such love is our bearing with one another and forgiving complaints.

If our souls ponder greatly the love of Christ who forgives us, then our souls will richly produce the fruit of forgiving others. If the weight of our burdens are so graciously carried by our Savior, then our load lightened by the Lord’s mercy has room to bear the burdens of others in His easy yoke.

How easy our Savior’s yoke and burden! We can cast our anxieties on Him, for not only is He strong enough to carry our burdens, but He is compassionate enough to relieve us (I Peter 5:7)! Our Savior’s forgiveness is so abounding, He even forgave those mocking and injuring Him while He hanged on the cross like a criminal (Luke 23:34). Consider Stephen’s forgiveness of those murdering him with his final breath (Acts 7:60). The strength to bear with others and forgive all complaints comes by the same humble posture clothed in a compassionate heart to love your enemies.

Our fallen hearts naturally compile lists of complaints against others. Like a creditor who is owed a lot of money, we compile complaints of good treatment we are owed which haven’t been paid. Like the unmerciful servant forgiven an insurmountable debt who threw a debtor in prison, we take our unforgiving hearts with a posture toward others with a list of complaints (Matthew 18:21-35). We ask Jesus just as Peter did, how many times am I to forgive who wrong me? Seven times seems plenty enough. No, says our Lord. Always.

Loving our enemies means we will have enemies to love. Bearing with others means we will be peeved, inconvenienced, even hurt. To forgive any complaints we may have against others in the local church requires a safe place of confession to one another with an easy path of repentance and reconciliation. Such mercies are only enjoyed in Christ whose death and resurrection reconciles us to a holy God.

Are you a humble, compassionate heart easy to reconcile, bearing with others? Or do you refuse to put off the old self? Sinner, how heavy is your heart? Take it to the Lord Jesus. Take His yoke upon you and learn from Him. The full weight of your burdens He carries. All complaints He has against you is relieved. Our loving Savior is longsuffering toward you and bears with you. In His mercies, you will have strength to follow Him in bearing with others and forgiving any complaints.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for holding grudges and refusing to bear with others as our brother’s keepers. May we embrace by faith Your forgiveness for us in Christ who died a criminal’s death though sinless that criminals like us are reconciled to You. Bless us, O Lord, with humble hearts clothed with compassion, and be glorified in Your works in us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.