7 Practical Thoughts On Forgiveness
A Word from Pastor Steve
We have all been hurt, and we have all hurt others. Forgiving people and asking for forgiveness is tough work. Yet, forgiveness is to the Christian what oxygen is to the lungs. These 7 principles can help you along the way when it comes to forgiveness.
Forgiveness requires so much energy that it helps to have a soft heart and thick skin. If you constantly take everything personally, then you won’t have any energy left to forgive in the situations that hurt the most. Learn to let some offences roll off your back. Focus on the people and issues that really need forgiveness.
Forgiveness is easier when you don’t define the person by what they have done to you. The person that has offended you is most likely a decent person who is caught up in a tense situation. Don’t judge that person's whole life on what they are doing to you now. Take the kind of perspective on his/her life that you would want him/her to take on yours.
Forgiveness is a standard by which you can measure your spiritual growth. How often do you say I’m sorry? It shows humility toward God and love for others when we are quick to apologize. When we wait to say I’m sorry or when we don’t grant forgiveness quickly we are living from a source of pride.
Forgiveness has a powerful way of taking the steam out of an argument. How many conflicts become inflated because people won’t apologize? Often, people who are preparing for a big verbal battle are disarmed by a prompt and sincere apology.
Forgiveness rarely needs to be accompanied with an unsolicited explanation. This can be hard because we always want to make an excuse or give a rationale for our behavior. Practice the discipline of asking for forgiveness then stop explaining. To be sure, sometimes an explanation is required, but most often it’s not. Practicing this will help you even when you are the one who has been hurt.
Forgiveness is the natural overflow of a life saturated in the gospel. This is more than a catchy statement; it’s true. Walk your thoughts through the components of the gospel concerning the situation. Remember God’s original intention was for us to live in constant dependence on him. Remember that the problem you are having is because both of you are sinners. Remember that Christ came to redeem the worst of us. Remember that we can be restored.
Forgiveness does not mean forgetting; it means releasing. It’s not necessary to force yourself to not remember being hurt. What you can do is choose not to hold the offense against the person. Although this is not easy, it is the most Christ-like thing you can do in life and in ministry.
Worth Remembering
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”-C.S. Lewis
“The voice of sin is loud but the voice of forgiveness is louder.”-D.L. Moody
“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.”-Corrie Ten Boom
“Forgiveness is the giving, and so the receiving, of life.”-George MacDonald
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." -Ephesians 4:32
In Christ,
Pastor Steve