When someone hurts us, or slanders our good name, forgiveness is often something most of us have a very hard time doing. In fact, it is often the last thing on our mind. But if we choose to buck the trend and forgive those who have hurt us and follow closely the advice from this timeless book – the Bible – we will see a revolution in our lives that will generate unspeakable joy and a peace that passes all understanding.
I believe that forgiving others is not only the pathway to true joy and peace but one of the ways we demonstrate our Christian character to the world and our love of the Savior. I can think of few investments that pay so many rich dividends than practicing the act of forgiveness. Sadly, many Christians have a hard time consistently extending forgiveness to others that have hurt them because, I believe, they don’t fully understand what forgiveness is and what it is not. Once we understand what forgiveness really entails we will be in a much better position to extend it to others. Below are a few examples of what forgiveness is and is not:
Forgiveness doesn’t mean we have to feel like forgiving the person who hurt us. While we can’t automatically feel like forgiving we can make a conscious choice to forgive. Corrie Ten Boom said it well: “Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.”1 I believe that if we truly forgive those who have hurt us from the heart, God will work to change our feelings.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean that what the person did to us was OK. If someone slanders our good name then that act is categorically wrong.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean we have to trust the person we are forgiving. If you lend someone $100 and they refuse to pay it back we need to forgive that person but we don’t have to trust that person with another loan. Forgiveness should be freely given but trust has to be earned.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean that the individual we are forgiving will not have to suffer negative consequences. If someone steals from a store, the storeowner needs to forgive that person, but he may still be arrested and have to pay a fine or go to jail.
And finally, forgiveness doesn’t mean that the individual who wronged us won’t ultimately have to answer to God for what he has done. While that person may think that they don’t have to make amends, he will one day have to face God.
Benefits of forgiveness
With an understanding of what forgiveness is and is not I would briefly like to share some of the benefits of choosing to practice forgiveness.
First, forgiveness shows you understand what the gospel message is all about. When we consider that Jesus has forgiven us a lifetime of sins it only makes sense that we should want to extend forgiveness to those that have hurt us. Not being willing to grant forgiveness shows we haven’t fully grasped what Jesus has done for us. And the more we take time to rejoice in our own forgiveness, the quicker we will be able to forgive others.
Second, when we forgive we don’t store up the bitterness that inevitably accrues to those that won’t forgive. Forgiveness is liberating in that we don’t have hatred or bitterness in our hearts, which over time clearly will have a negative effect on one’s health.
Third, those who practice forgiveness will live longer, experience more peace and joy, and will please Jesus more, than those who won’t.
And fourth, there are serious theological ramifications to those who won’t forgive. For right after we read the Lord’s prayer in (Matthew 6) we read: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15).
I personally believe there are two types of forgiveness. One is judicial forgiveness which is a one-time forgiveness that God’s grants those who accept Jesus into their hearts. It allows for justification before Jesus and is a permanent and complete acquittal from the guilt and ultimate penalty of sin. This forgiveness belongs to all true believers. However, there is a second type of forgiveness that I call familial forgiveness that is spoken of in these Matthew verses above. Since we know that God chastens His children when they disobey Him I believe, that when a Christian chooses to withhold forgiveness to those who have offended them, they risk the discipline of the Lord. This can come in many forms and in extreme cases God may call a believer home early if his disobedience becomes too great. When we practice forgiveness we are being obedient to the Lord and as I have shared in many past devotions wonderful blessings attend the obedient Christian.
My friends, I can’t stress enough how wonderful and powerful it is to practice forgiveness. When we forgive others, when they have wronged us, this act, sets into motion so much internal positive energy in our hearts that not only will you experience blissful sleep, but when you awake you will begin your day with the joy of the Lord!
1 Quote by Corrie Ten Boom: “Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will…” (goodreads.com)