Never Stop Forgiving
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Dear Sister,
Forgiveness can be one of the hardest parts about the healing journey,
When someone has caused an offence and hurt us, it is a natural response to hold onto it until we receive an apology. Sometimes we want to also strike back, to return the same hurt we received.
As followers of Christ, we are called to be different.
Unfortunately, the people that hurt us may never apologise. They may never acknowledge or even understand how their actions have impacted our lives.
However, if we wait for that to happen before we forgive, we remain trapped in the pain they have caused.
Forgiveness never excuses their actions, but when we do it releases the offence into God’s hands rather than allowing bitterness to spread.
We only end up hurting ourselves when we refuse to forgive, and the longer we hold onto the hurt the more space it can take up within us.
Jesus has shown us unlimited grace, mercy and compassion. He forgave us when we didn’t deserve it, so we must extend the same to those who hurt us; no matter how difficult that may be.
Forgiveness is not always a once only decision, sometimes we need to surrender the hurt to God, over and over again.
Let God deal with the offence.
Let him heal the broken places.
And let forgiveness begin to make way for freedom.
With love,
Alice.
Journaling for the week
What hurt from your past are you still carrying?
What would it look like to surrender it to God; let it go and instead choose forgiveness?
A guided prayer
Heavenly Father,
I come before you just as I am.
You know the people that have hurt me.
You know the words that were said, the things that were done to me, and the scars that I now carry.
Lord, I give this pain to you.
(take a moment to bring the person or the situation that you are struggling to forgive.
God already knows- you do not need to explain it to Him.)
Pause.
Lord, it can be difficult for me to forgive at times.
Sometimes I wait for an apology before I forgive.
Sometimes I want them to feel how much they have hurt me, and have justice.
Please help me to let go and place this into your hands.
I release all the pain, bitterness, and the need to make things right myself.
Today I choose to forgive just as Jesus has forgiven me.
I may need to make this choice daily. So when the memories return, remind me that I already placed it into your hands.
Thank you for your grace.
Thank you for your mercy.
Thank you for forgiving me through Jesus.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further Bible study
Worship song of the week
— Alice