Forgive Whom?

August 15, 2018

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Freedom and forgiveness walk hand in hand. They are intertwined. People who are in bondage generally have a long list of grudges against those who have hurt them in the past. In order to get on with life, it is necessary to let go of the hurts and offer forgiveness. Unwillingness to give and receive forgiveness and let past wrongs go holds us back from freedom and healing. Those who do forgive and get beyond the past find their peace of mind greatly benefitted. God loves us and wants the best for us—that is why He urges us to forgive. When we offer forgiveness, it usually helps us find the humility to see that we need forgiveness as well. A lack of forgiveness generally leads to stinking thinking—negativity that negates the possibility of health or freedom, and often leads to bitterness about life in general.

Forgiving means you give up the right to punish. In order to be free, you will need to forgive yourself and others, and give yourself and the others a second chance at life. You exercise compassion for yourself and others. You exercise humility as you ask others to forgive you.

This may seem very difficult, and understandably so. You may have been in the bondage of unforgiveness for many years. There may be a thick wall of resentment on one or both sides of a relationship. But what matters is the willingness to begin letting go, and it doesn’t start with a feeling—it starts with a choice.

If you don’t yet experience the freedom and healing God wants for you, there’s probably a forgiveness reason. You can’t be totally free until all those you hold prisoner to your own resentment are free. Forgive yourself. Forgive others. Ask for forgiveness. You know what you need to do.

  • Ask Jesus where to start imitating His forgiveness to you.
  • Run a quick scan of your relationships. Whom do you need to forgive? Whose forgiveness do you need to seek?
  • What is God telling you? Make a commitment to do it with a date attached.