FORGIVENxFORGIVER

“Bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord
has forgiven you, so you must also do.” – Colossians 3:1

“I am a sinful person.”

This statement was a resounding gong of my life. For many years, it was an identity that I hold… and
along with it comes “I am never enough”. “I am a liar”, “I am a bad person.” I remember myself
murmuring “Mas Demonyo pa ako sa Demonyo” ( I am much more of a devil than the devil). It was a
complete negative identity that I carried for years… the effect? I have had a distorted view of the people
I meet. I looked down on them, and if someone did me wrong or bullied me, I wanted that someone to
just disappear.

It was a negative view of that I see myself that I pass on to others, that I impose on others. And for
years, I lived on my sinful nature. I have had the thinking that I am already sinful therefore it made no
difference if I sin again. Same old me, I am a sinful person.

Then Jesus said to me, “My son, I love you! You are Forgiven… “

It was the time I experienced God’s Grace, Mercy and Love. I am Forgiven.

It does not change the fact that I am still a sinful person. I still sin… yet it is not an identity that I should
take upon myself. Someone paid the price and laid down His Life so that I may live! And because I am
forgiven, I had the peace to forgive others who had done me wrong and the peace to not hold any
bitterness or grudge to whomever I had conflict with. I too become a Forgiver to others just as the Lord
has been a Forgiver to me.

I will “ALWAYS” be grateful that God changed my life. And I know that I am still a Work In Progress, but I
know God is with me always…

Experience God’s Forgiveness, Love and Mercy this Holy Week!

Your friend,

Ivan Mikhail Reyes, ivantheterriblewriter, (ivanmikel.reyes@gmail.com)