Forgiveness

I'm sitting here thinking about all the church problems that I have seen and have been associated with. I'm thinking hard about why we have such a hard time forgiving each other when problems arise. It just seems we want to devour each other instead of loving, caring, and forgiving each other. I've seen church members and church leaders try and do God's work and dole out punishment for someone rather than loving them. They do it for the sake of the purity of the church, as if God hasn't already purified his church through his Son.
I came up with 11 reasons why we fail to forgive our brother. Here they are. There are many more I'm sure, but I've actually seen these reasons practiced in the places I've been. (How Sad!)

Reasons we have such a hard time forgiving a brother or sister:
1. We like to hold on to our grudges to make us feel superior.
2. We want to have something to hold over the head of another.
3. We have already decided that they are not worthy of forgiveness.
4. Because we are so angry and/or so mean.
5. We want some satisfaction from others before we forgive.
6. It will make me look weak in the eyes of others if I forgive someone.
7. We seem to thrive on the turmoil of the situation.
8. We focus in too much on the sin and not the sinner.
9. We are so caught up in a legalistic system that we want an eye for an eye.
10. The way of the world is to seek revenge and the world means more to me than God.
11. We haven’t let Love for others be our primary motivation as Christ Taught us. 1 Peter 4:8

Shawn