Imagine driving to work on a busy highway, minding your own business. Suddenly, to your right, someone runs a stop sign, and with squealing tires, zips in front of your car, forcing you to slam on the brakes and pull off to the side of the road. As you try to calm your nerves, the jerk in the other car never seems to acknowledge his mistake, and speeds on down the highway.

How would you react?

Would you scream, cry, shake your fist, curse him and all of his ancestry?

Would you spend the rest of the morning, describing what happened to your coworkers?

Would your day be ruined, all because of the senseless, irrational, act of a stupid jerk who thinks the open road is paved for him?

And another thing; you are sick and tired of being the patsy?!!! (Calm down, Larry.)

(Okay! I'm calm now.) Yet, the other driver ... the jerk who caused all of your suffering, is merrily going on with his life having no knowledge of what he did to you.

Think about it. The other driver was responsible for the near-accident, but your reaction was not his fault. It was yours. The real damage was entirely self-inflicted. In a word, it is called: resentment.

One definition says resentment is "to re-feel the pain." Resentment is like accidentally cutting your hand with a knife and then deciding to avenge yourself by stabbing the other hand. Ouch, that hurts!

The disciples were asking Jesus how to strengthen their faith. Jesus said:

I am warning you! If another believer sins, rebuke him; then if he repents, forgive him. Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, forgive him (Luke 17:3-4 NLT).

Something inside of us screams, "Does this mean we have to forgive the jerk that tried to run over us? No way! Anyway, what does this have to do with faith?"

This is exactly what the people listening to Jesus asked and He answered them:

If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, `Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you (Luke 17:6 NASB).

What? What does that mean?

The mulberry tree has extensive roots that run deep into the soil. It's nearly impossible to uproot. Resentment has extensive roots that run deep within our soul and is nearly impossible to overcome. Forgiveness is a process that begins as a tiny mustard seed. As the mustard seed of forgiveness grows, the roots of resentment, like the mulberry tree's roots, are loosened and our faith is strengthened.

Do you want to strengthen your faith? Then, learn to forgive. Forgive ...

Do you want to strengthen your faith?

  • A spouse or former spouse who hurt you deeply.

  • Maybe a boss or fellow worker who stepped all over you.

  • A trusted friend who violated your confidence.

  • A parent or relative who abused you.

  • And usually, you need to forgive yourself.

Does this kind of forgiveness sound impossible? Sure it is ... without God. Yet, one psychiatrist wrote that 75% of his patients could walk out of the hospital if they could truly understand what it means to forgive and be forgiven. Such is the power of grace. Let me give you an example:

In 1660, John Bunyan was thrown into prison just for being a Christian. He could have let the experience ruin him but instead chose to forgive everyone involved and used the isolation as an opportunity to write Pilgrim's Progress, one of the most influential Christian books ever written. The power of learning to forgive can produce that kind of sturdy faith within you.

Does an attitude of forgiveness ever come easy? Never! It's a process that we must work at continually, but God makes a clear promise that your willingness to forgive will give you a faith that will move mountains and change your life.

Great! Now if I can only forgive that jerk on the highway that almost killed me!