Matthew West wrote a song called forgiveness; here is the first verse:
It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Is there someone who has hurt you physically or emotionally? Every time you hear their name mentioned it gives bad memories and possibly bad feelings that you must battle. I too have had to struggle with forgiving someone that I felt hurt me emotionally a few years back. I heard a sermon the other day (I've heard several lessons and sermons on this subject, but this one inspired me to write this post) which helped me not only put forgiveness in perspective (looking at how much God forgave us)but let me know that forgiving doesn't necessarily mean forgetting.
To forgive someone we must first realize:
This means that although we sin constantly, and do things that hurt God, he doesn't treat us like we have! Because of His love He gave up His only son to be our Savior and remove our sins as far as the east to the west. We don't have to worry about God taking revenge upon us because of past sins, because he has forgiven us and has shown compassion on us.
That should make us realize that no matter what someone does to us, it is no comparison to what we have done to God. We are the reason that He had to give up His son! So if anyone should be holding a grudge, it should be God, but he isn't, so why do we? Please go and read Matthew 18:21-35 to see what Jesus said about forgiveness.
We must put away our pride
To forgive someone we must first realize:
God has forgiven us!
Psalm 103:10-14 says: He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.This means that although we sin constantly, and do things that hurt God, he doesn't treat us like we have! Because of His love He gave up His only son to be our Savior and remove our sins as far as the east to the west. We don't have to worry about God taking revenge upon us because of past sins, because he has forgiven us and has shown compassion on us.
That should make us realize that no matter what someone does to us, it is no comparison to what we have done to God. We are the reason that He had to give up His son! So if anyone should be holding a grudge, it should be God, but he isn't, so why do we? Please go and read Matthew 18:21-35 to see what Jesus said about forgiveness.
We must put away our pride
It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
'It's not me that's wrong, it's him! If anyone should be talking about forgiveness it should be him!' I used to tell myself that, but it doesn't work. The Bible commands that we should forgive (Matthew 18:21-22), and not only that, but it causes our focus to not be on strengthening our relationship with God, but on how best to get that person back. Even if you don't feel revengeful, your thoughts are on the hurt the person has done you (making it to where the focus is on you).
My challenge is that you read the scriptures I've posted on here, pray about forgiveness, and ask God to give you strength to forgive, then, let it go. I have found the best way to help the healing process is by starting to pray for that person. It doesn't mean that it is always easy, which brings me to my final point:
Forgiveness doesn't mean you are deaf, dumb, and blind!
Yes, often the relationship you had with them can never be restored to its former glory, because of the broken trust, but it doesn't mean that you haven't forgiven them. It does mean, however, that you must treat them with love, and if they are Christians then it means you must treat them as a brother or sister in Christ, and if they are not then it means you must show love and forgiveness to them so that they might understand God's forgiveness.
It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
