You Must Forgive

Matthew 6:14-15 – For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Unless you have forgiven others for the sins they commit against you, you will not be forgiven for the sins you committed.

1. Sadly, many Christans refuse to forgive. We store unforgiveness in our hearts, tormenting ourselves (with bitterness, anger, and resentment). Many of us hold unto unforgiveness because (1) we want want revenge on those who wronged us; (2) we want to see them ‘pay’ for what they did to us; or (3) we wait for the person (or people) to take responsibility for their actions (via apology). Revenge, ‘payback,’ and waiting for apologies isn’t what God desires of us. God wants us to love others, show mercy to them, and forgive, just as He has done for you.

Matthew 5:44-45 – But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

2. Forgiveness is a decision made on purpose. Forgiveness is not something that occurs by accident. It is an intentional decision to resolve a problem without specifically receiving a resolution. The resolution you receive is from your willingness to let go of the pain and desires for revenge or setting things ‘right.’

3. Some people struggle to forgive. Many people want to forgive, but can’t seem to get beyond the memories, pains, and hurt committed against them. They feel chained to their past…and unforgiveness. When you find yourself in these situations, ask the Lord to help you…and be honest. Tell Him that you know it’s right to forgive, but you don’t want to. Tell Him how you feel about the other person (or people) and what you’ve wanted to do to them or what you’ve wanted to see happen. This time in prayer is your opportunity to commune with God and reason with Him (Isaiah 1:18). In these moments, He is able (and willing) to help you move past your past and let it go.

To walk in forgiveness is to treat the other person or group as if they had never wronged you.

^{Photo courtesy of Flickr.com/alexanders-world. Image covered under Creative Commons License.}