Two-minute read.
Full confession: I’ve held grudges. I know how to ruminate on an offense and refuse to let it go. As a result, I’ve destroyed relationships and hurt people I love. Thankfully, Jesus has transformed me, but unfortunately, some of the people I’ve hurt choose to do life without me in it.
Only when I began to understand grace did transformation begin. Instead of replaying the offense repeatedly in my mind, I captured those thoughts and made them obedient to Christ. Asking God to help me see the offender through His eyes changed my perspective. The Lord taught me about heart motivations, and that hurting people hurts others. I began to see their pain rather than my own, and my heavenly Father taught me how to forgive. With His help, I transformed and continue to transform, one day at a time.
Letting people off the hook and forgiving them does free us. We no longer have to hold onto the hard feelings; we can release the pain to the Savior and allow Him to heal the wounds. As God keeps our hearts soft, we will become more like Jesus, treating everyone with kindness and tenderheartedness, forgiving as He forgave us.
Forgiveness unlocks the door to abundant life.
Just as Christ forgave our sins, giving us new life in Him, so when we forgive others, we do the same. Last week, I saw a picture of a pastor from Africa with his arm around a smiling gentleman; they looked like the best of friends. However, the man standing in the pastor’s embrace had murdered the pastor’s family. In his life before Christ, the smiling man, like Paul, had persecuted and murdered Christians. But now, he had repented of his sins and come to Christ. And like Jesus, the pastor forgave the sins committed against him. Both men had found freedom in the Savior.
Paul tells us what to remove: bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander, and malicious behavior. Then he tells us what to replace those things with: kindness, tenderheartedness, compassion, and forgiveness. We can’t do any of those things without God’s help. When we remember the grace we have received, we become better able to extend grace to others.
Each day, we will have to choose kindness and forgiveness again, but it brings freedom. When we let go of bitterness, we make room for God’s peace to fill our hearts.
Journal Questions:
- Is there someone you need to forgive?
- How has unforgiveness affected your peace?
- What would freedom through forgiveness look like?
Stressbuster:
Write a prayer of forgiveness.
