Forgiveness

What if you only had one day to live? Would you hold onto grudges? Would you allow words spoken or events from the past to keep you from making peace with a loved one? Or would you be okay with leaving it unresolved? How deep is the wound?

I hope that everyone would make amends if given the opportunity. If the wound is so great that we couldn’t, though, what then?

When it seems impossible, I imagine myself in heaven, standing before Christ and Him asking why He should let me in. I would say something to the effect, “Because I proclaimed You as my Lord and Saviour. I love You. I honor You.” His response could be:

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 1 John 4:20

and then:

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15 ESV

It is so hard to forgive someone who’s intentionally hurt me, but it’s not impossible. I can set boundaries, so it doesn’t keep happening. I can choose not to engage with continually hurtful people, but I have to forgive no matter what. It’s sometimes challenging. I’m sensitive and empathetic, so I can’t even imagine doing that to another person. I’m sure my words have hurt others in the past, but I can’t remember ever doing it intentionally, even while being verbally attacked.

If you’re holding onto this type of pain, pray for help forgiving the one who caused it.

bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Colossians 3:13 ESV

---

Please join me this week in praying for those who have been hurt by the words or actions of a loved one. Pray that they look to the Lord for healing. Pray that their hearts soften so they can rise above the situation, that they find the strength and courage to forgive their offender. Let’s also pray for the person who inflicted the injury that they might become more kind and tenderhearted.