LEARNING TO FORGIVE

Part 1

 

To complete the process of your healing, the key will be forgiveness.  You may be thinking:

 “I can’t forgive her/him, there is too much pain.”

“They don’t deserve my forgiveness.”

“I will never forgive—you don’t understand what I have gone through.

We may not be able to understand each person’s hurt and pain or what they have gone through, but there is One who does.

It is very important that you understand God’s forgiveness and what it cost God for you to be forgiven.  Your hurts and wounds are a result of sin.  But Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captive.

The Biblical meaning of forgiveness is to let go, cancel, and release.  To forgive a person of sins is not to disregard and do nothing about them, but to liberate a person from their guilt and power.  Forgiving not only sets the other person free, but it also sets you free from negative emotions.

Christ has set us free from the guilt of sin.  He paid the penalty for our sins and has given us the power over sin.

 There are three things that keep us from forgiving:

1.  The emotions that are carried as a result of the hurt and pain.

2.  Pride, not willing to forgive.

3.  Revenge, the desire to get even.

The Bible tells us that, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

We have redemption through Jesus’ blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

When you will not forgive, you open the door for resentment.  Forgiving is not easy. It takes a strong person, and Christians are strong.  (I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.)

In our next lesson we will look at things you need to remember concerning forgiveness.

Pray this prayer in sincerity:

Father, If you can forgive me for my sins, who am I not to forgive others of their sins against me?  Help me to forgive. In Jesus’ name

Luke 4:18 / Ephesians 1:7 / Matthew 5:23,24 1 John 1:9 / Philippians 4:13

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.