Forgiveness

Forgiveness: It can be difficult, to say the least. Granted, it can feel much easier to forgive someone when they've admitted their wrong doings and have outright asked for your forgiveness. But what if they haven't? Or what if they have apologized to you but it wasn't the sincere apology you were hoping for, as though they said it just to get you off their back? What if the person asking you for forgiveness is yourself, but you’re too ashamed to free yourself of the guilt? Are we justified in continuing to hold onto grudges for any of these reasons?

We may never receive the apologies that we hope for or feel we deserve from others but that doesn't mean that we can't or shouldn't still forgive. Likewise, we can't continue to destroy our minds with anger and guilt over the things we've done to ourselves or to others. We have to find a way to forgive because no matter the crime, as Christians, we are all worthy of forgiveness. Why, you might ask? Think about it, Jesus Christ laid down His life for you and me so that we may be washed clean and forgiven of our sins by His amazing grace. As Christians, nothing, except refraining from forgiving others, can stop God from forgiving you, so why should anything else stop you?

“Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.” Psalms 65:3

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6: 14-15

I know what you might be thinking, "But you don't understand! I've done terrible, unspeakable things that have caused such harm. I could never let go of the guilt and shame I feel.” Or, "He caused me so much unspeakable physical and emotional pain that I swore I'd never forgive him for this! He doesn’t deserve my forgiveness." Maybe you were abused sexually, physically or emotionally, or maybe the abuse was self-inflicted with drugs or alcohol or even morbid obesity and mistreatment of your body; whatever the crime may be or whomever it may be against, forgive. For those who have caused harm to you, forgive them and leave the punishment and judgment up to your Heavenly Father to take care of for you.

Forgiveness, be it by God or by you, in no way means that the act of sin is okay and without consequence or punishment, nor does it mean that you have to stay in a bad situation where you are experiencing harm or turmoil, or that we should live life aimlessly and allow sin to control us, purposely taking advantage of God’s grace. No, forgiveness is the act of freeing yourself from the power of sin because we have been redeemed by Him who lives in us. We no longer have to be controlled by sin or shame because we are forgiven.

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.  And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.  The Law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.  So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.  He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.  So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” Romans 8: 1:6

“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.” Acts 13:38