When You Need Forgiveness
Isn’t it great when someone says, “I forgive you”…just like that? Without pleading or begging for mercy, we’re simply forgiven. That’s probably one of the best feelings in the world.
The word forgiveness draws various reactions. If we’re talking about God’s forgiveness of us, it can be a soothing topic resulting in gratitude and peace. If we need to seek forgiveness from someone we’ve wronged, we might wrangle a bit with our pride before we finally approach that person in humility—but our resulting cleared conscience makes it well worth the effort.
Usually, however, the most uncomfortable kind of forgiveness is what we must extend to someone who has wronged us or hurt us deeply. The Bible says a lot about this kind of forgiveness—perhaps because our emotions arm wrestle with it and other lingering memories skirmish with it. It’s really hard to do.
Find out what God’s Word says about forgiveness, how essential it is to understand, and how to actually do it...if we want to grow in our walk with God.
Isn’t it great when someone says, “I forgive you”…just like that? Without pleading or begging for mercy, we’re simply forgiven. That’s probably one of the best feelings in the world.
If you have thick skin, you’re quick to forgive. If you’re thin skinned, you’re more likely to hang on to grudges and hurts. The perfect combination? A Soft heart and thick skin.
God’s Word says that there will be a day of judgement. But as Christians that’s not something that we need to fear. When we placed out trust in Christ our guilt was removed, now and for eternity.
Forgiveness doesn’t come easily and often has conditions. But truly forgiving someone, with no strings attached, is one of the most liberating things you can do.
When we’ve been wronged, it’s tough to see things from the other person’s perspective. But when we do that, it’s grace in action. Grace lived out in our everyday lives revolutionizes our relationships.
Here is a great story of reconciliation. It beautifully illustrates how broken relationships can be restored by building bridges to one another…instead of fencing each other off.
Listen to Pastor Chuck Swindoll teach on the conflict found in Acts 15. He presents key principles from Paul and Barnabas’ example for working out disagreements, and he challenges you to be humble and forgiving in the process.
Life is all about growing and learning. And it’s in the day-to-day living that we learn how to forgive, how to handle disappointment, and admit failure. It’s in the day-to-day struggles that we mature.
Coming to grips with God’s grace will loosen your inclination for sin. Once your faith is placed in Jesus and you’ve experienced His forgiveness, sin’s dominance will be loosed from your life.
When you pray do it to be heard by God, not applauded by people. Pray from the heart—without meaningless repetition.