What is Forgiveness, why is it so important that we forgive one another in this world? Do we even have to forgive?
Some tough questions for anyone that has been hurt or going through pain at this time. The reason forgiveness is so tough is simply because it demands action from us, it is not something you can sit back on and let happen, or something you let others do for you, it is something you must do yourself. Forgiveness comes in different levels based on the level someone has hurt you and when someone has really hurt you, it demands a bigger response from you.
As Christians we are asked to forgive, a lot! Forgiveness is intertwined with our belief system and is in the very nature of our God. In fact, it is God who asks us to forgive, this is because He forgives us.
So what do we mean by this? Well, forgiveness is the act of wiping the slate clean of the wrong someone has done to you. It comes in many different shapes and sizes depending on our perceived level of the hurt. The reason I say our perceived level, is because we all view things in different ways. What someone might do to me might impact me in a different way than it might do to you and for this, I have to forgive based on the level I have been hurt.
The bible says "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 v 13).
We are not good as people, we have a tendency to act in our own self interest or believe things will be fine as we wouldn't be upset by certain things and so act in the manner we see fit. In this we can hurt others unintentionally, or even still out of our emotion / our pain we can lash out on the defensive striking at others to make them hurt. All these things cause upset and hurt others whether we intended to or not. As the verse says we cause grievances against one another and yet we suffer grievances too.
However if we look at the end of this verse we see our answer, we must forgive as God has forgiven us.
Who reading amongst us is innocent in the eyes of the Lord? An excerpt from John 8 v 7 is where Jesus says "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone". Jesus is saying here, who is pure in the eye of God? Who has not offended and upset the Lord God Almighty? The truth is, we all have in one way or another and at one time AND another. Let that sink in, we do not just offend God once, we constantly do it over and over again in our lives.
Yet God has seen fit to forgive us for everything we do to Him no matter how harmful it is. As believers we focus a lot on the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of the living God, because it frees us from our sin and wrong doings and bestows forgiveness on us through grace. But image the power and strength God has towards us, as each one of us has had a hand in Jesus' death. We are the reason He died, we the people, who continually do things out of our self-indulging, self-preservation perceptions of what we feel we want and deserve in this world, or similarly what we feel others deserve because of what they did to us. Because of that behaviour Jesus had to atone for the wrath stored for us by a just God. The punishment we deserved because of our actions was completely taken away through the act of forgiveness. What was the act? Jesus sacrificing Himself so that God would be able to see us as people without blemish.
This grace afforded to us is what we are called to use to others when they upset us. Forgiveness is an act and grace is the tool we use, therefore we can let someone off the hook for the actions they have done that harmed us. Maybe a small point here is that we cannot simply use this as a defence in a court of law, if you violate the law then there are consequences of your actions.
However in regards to offense, if I insult you, you get hurt, then there are likely to be consequences to me. You may not speak to me again, you may insult me back to hurt my feelings too.
This behaviour only continues a cycle of hurt, anger and punishment whether that be to the person who originally upset you or on to others that come along your path in the future. This is another reason God provided forgiveness, to stop that cycle of hurt in its tracks. Yes it does mean we have to sit with the hurt until we are able to come to terms with it and get over the pain of what has been done, but it means that we do not pass it on to anyone else. This shows another act we must do, rise above the pain and offence.
Forgiveness is all about actions – stopping the cycle, letting the person off from what they have done and taking time to heal from the wound. Ephesians 4 v 26-27 says "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
The bible again warning us not to react when being hurt, to let things go, why? Because the devil is waiting to use these moments against you. It might seem that you are reacting justly, but more often than not, you aren't and your actions come from a sinful place. Then before you know it, you have caused someone else to hurt. This is against the very thing God has asked us to do, which is love. Love does not act out to hurt someone, but if someone does hurt us then love helps us rise above it and forgive them. 1 Peter 4 v 8 says Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Just as Jesus loved us enough to die for the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of a better life, we must also take the action of forgiveness. To let the pain go and love the person who hurt us so that a cycle of good is started rather than a cycle of hurt and pain continued.
For those deeply in pain right now, I know this is easier said than done. I know pain and have been familiar with people offending me for many years. above is a lesson worth learning and actions worth taking because that offence continues to have a hold on you, that person continues to have a hold on you, the devil continues to have something with which to torment you, until you let it go and become free of it. Free to be refreshed, happy and able to live life to more of its fullest extents. I pray that you find the ability to forgive and the rewards for your physical and mental health as well as your spiritual health for the days, weeks, months and years to come in Jesus name.
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