A preacher once said, “Forgiveness is not an act but a way of life.”
This reminds us of the very words of Jesus that it is impossible that offense will not come.
There will always be conflict as long as we live alongside other people. Another hard pill to swallow is that you and I are not perfect either.
When we feel hurt by other people’s behavior the same happens when we hurt other people.
To make forgiveness a way of life, each of us must leave the house every day with a truckload of forgiveness to share with as many people as we can, including forgiveness for our own transgressions.
What does Jesus say about forgiveness?
Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies, which is one of the things I find the hardest to do.
Especially when the hurt comes from the people we trusted with our lives.
How do we pray for their well-being when they were inconsiderate of ours?
But Jesus who did no wrong was hung naked on a cross. He understands how we feel and it does not surprise him when we don’t want to forgive our offenders.
The reality is that unforgiveness is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.
I imagine how Jesus must have felt dying for the likes of us. It wasn’t easy for him to carry the cross, but he wanted to fulfill the will of our heavenly father.
Can you imagine that the same people whom Jesus healed their children, raised their dead, and fed still wanted him crucified?
They also went ahead to say let his blood be upon their heads. All they wanted was his death.
But thank God that all they meant for evil became the key to our redemption.
Jesus desires for us to learn from his example that every hardship we encounter strengthens our character.
When we release forgiveness to make space for our healing, something good will always come out of it. God desires for us to show mercy unto others just as he forgave us.
The bitter truth is that on the other side of unforgiveness is pain, suffering, and anger. There is no satisfaction that comes with unforgiveness.
How does forgiveness bring healing?
First forgiveness can bring healing when we decide that vengeance isn’t ours.
The people who hurt other people never experience peace until they amend their ways. We might not see it but that’s the truth.
However, if we attempt to make things right on our own, we would only become mired in resentment and rage.
Forgiving others doesn’t mean we have decided to become a doormat.
Instead, it means I am releasing or distancing myself from whatever mess or baggage is associated with this issue.
Forgiveness means I’m not putting my joy or happiness in the hands of another human being. A good example of how forgiveness can bring healing is the story of Joseph in the Bible.
His brothers sold him to slave traders at the age of 17 because of his dream. They lied to his father that he was killed by some wild animal.
In Egypt where Joseph was sold, his master’s wife lies against him because he refused to sleep with her.
He was thrown in jail and by God’s divine intervention after 13 years he met his brothers again.
But this time his brother came and bowed to him because he was now Egypt’s prime minister and their survival depended on him.
Joseph could have plotted their death, but instead, he chose to forgive. What is it easy? No, it wasn’t?
Plotting an enemy’s death doesn’t free us; rather, it makes us murderers and prisoners in jail for offenses.
Yes, we all have been hurt but forgiveness brings peace, joy, low blood pressure, high self-esteem, and spiritual growth. Only a humble person can truly forgive.
what does god say about forgiving those who hurt you?
One of the outstanding words about the Lord’s prayer is ” And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Matthew 6:9-13.
God is saying that for us to be shown compassion we must first extend that same compassion to those who might not even deserve it.
The unforgiving servant in the Bible was forgiven of his debt of over a million dollars. But he sent another fellow servant to jail who owed him a few hundred dollars.
For us to call ourselves the children of the highest God we must take on his character which is compassion for others.
When we experience hurt God is saying to us to step aside and let me handle it in the best way possible.
Learn how to forgive someone who hurt you emotionally
Let’s also not forget that when we also hurt other people they are likewise looking to God to bring justice to the situation as well.
how important is forgiveness to god?
God doesn’t want us to walk around with bitterness in our hearts against anyone because it is not worth it. Truly it isn’t!
God loves us so much that even the hair on our heads is numbered and he is aware when we lose even a strand of hair.
This shows beyond any doubt that God cares about every detail of our lives much more than we do.
“It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”
Deuteronomy 32:35 NIV
Bible verses about forgiveness and healing
Here are 10 bible verses about forgiveness and healing that would help us see how God views forgiveness.
Matthew 6:14-15 AMP
For if you forgive [a]others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15 AMP
Forgiveness might not come naturally to us but God wants us to grow from babies to sons. This can only be done by allowing the Holy Spirit to work through our lives.
Our relationship with God must be our top priority. We must not allow little situations that we can often let go stop our joy.
How to Build A Relationship with God
Matthew 5:23-24 GNT
So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.
Matthew 5:23-24 GNT
We cannot bribe God with a performance-based relationship with him. Nobody can buy the love of God and God will not compromise on his standard for anyone.
When we hold tight to an offense our prayers can never be answered. It is like pouring water into a basket.
If we want to have sound health and a thriving relationship with God, we must try as much as we can to follow peace with all men.
It doesn’t mean we agree with everything that they do but we choose to live in love and obedience to the commandment of God.
1 Peter 2:1-2 ERV
So then, stop doing anything to hurt others. Don’t lie anymore, and stop trying to fool people. Don’t be jealous or say bad things about others. 2 Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow up and be saved.
1 Peter 2:1-2 ERV
We must never be selective about whom we think deserves our forgiveness. Regardless of where we are, we must extend forgiveness to as many people as we can.
When we say we have forgiven someone, we must never bring up the incident or the offender again.
We must also try not to rehearse the situation in our minds over again. We must ask the Holy Spirit of God to fill our minds with love and compassion.
James 5:16 CEB
For this reason, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous person is powerful in what it can achieve.
James 5:16 CEB
One disservice we can do to ourselves is holding on to a grudge.
If you have any misunderstandings against your friend, instead of bottling the pain speak about it.
The purpose is not to be correct but to settle the disagreement. Please, let’s never try to resolve any issue in anger.
Isaiah 1:18 NIV
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Isaiah 1:18 NIV
The reason why we keep our distance from God is that we believe we are not good enough for God.
We keep leaving with unconfessed sin and try to impress God with our good behaviors. Before we were even conceived, God assured us that nothing can separate us from his love.
“ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
Romans 8:38 NLT
Micah 7:18-19 NIV
“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
Micah 7:18-19 NIV
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”
One of the many attributes of God is that he is a God of compassion. It was compassion that made him send his son to die on the cross to redeem us from our sins.
It is also his compassion that makes the sun shine both on the good and evil people. Of course, there will be repercussions for our sins but that doesn’t mean that God hasn’t forgiven us.
Matthew 18: 21-22 NIV
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”
Matthew 18:21-22 NIV
I pray that the Holy Spirit will teach us how to be mature and manage offenses because they will come.
Jesus is also speaking to us that we should forgive people in our schools, families, people who misuse us, that nosy neighbor,
The people we meet at the bus parks, just anywhere 70 times 7 times a day. I don’t know if someone can hurt us 490 times in a day. Wink* wink* However, Forgiveness isn’t about keeping scores but losing count.
Colossians 3:13 NIV
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Colossians 3:13 NIV
Forgiveness doesn’t mean reconciliation though it could lead to it. God wants us to let go of the bitterness and allow His peace to reign in our hearts.
There will be people who never realize the weight of the wrongs they do to others until the later part of their lives. God doesn’t want us to wait until they change before we forgive them.
Luke 6:37 NIV
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Luke 6:37 NIV
The measure of forgiveness we want to receive should be the measure of forgiveness we extend to those who hurt us.
We should not be a hindrance to our prayers and well-being because of unforgiveness. Let’s also not forget that we are not perfect in any way we are products of the mercies of God.
Matthew 11:28-29 GNT
“Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.
Matthew 11:28-29 GNT
God doesn’t want us to bear our burdens alone. He wants us to trust him to fix the broken pieces of our hearts.
