DIGGING DEEP NO. 953 – September 27th, 2022 FORGIVENESS Ephesians 4:31-32; Mathew 6:12, 14-15.

Introduction

Forgiveness is a conscious deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they really deserve your forgiveness. According to the Bible, forgiveness should be understood as God’s promise not to count our sins against us. Biblical forgiveness requires repentance on our part (turning away from our old life of sin) and faith in Jesus Christ. Psalm 103:8-12 describes the concept[t of God’s forgiveness.

Forgiveness is such a wide topic so we shall take just a piece of it here. This is a subject that calls for reflection from every one of us as we look at the following:

• Why should you forgive?
• Who should you forgive?
• When should you forgive?
• How should you forgive?

Why should you forgive?

Must I forgive? what if they are not sorry, how about if they don’t even accept what they did even after you tell them? Col 3:13-15. The number one reason why we should forgive others is simply because God forgave us. For God so loved the world that He gave His only son. God first showed forgiveness by sending His only begotten son to die on the cross for us. He did it to restore the relationship between Him and man. Forgiveness heals, it’s essential for mental health and physical health.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting. Rather, forgiveness means letting go of the pain the incident has caused or is causing us. We forgive to give ourselves peace of mind, and in hopes that one day someone will return the favor if we ever offend them. “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” The Bible teaches that true unadulterated love is the basis for true forgiveness, since “it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Forgiving others means letting go of resentment and giving up any claim to be compensated for the hurt or loss we have suffered.

Who should you forgive?

Can you have unforgiveness towards yourself, family members, friends, people you are not even close to, your boss, or co-workers? Psalm 19:12

To maintain a relationship, we must practice forgiveness. Relationships cannot thrive without forgiveness. Jesus said, “And when you stand praying, forgive so your Father in heaven will forgive you.” Forgiveness is giving pardon and mercy. When you forgive you move forward Luke 6:37. Who do you need to forgive? In Luke 23:34 in his last breath, Jesus forgave His killers.

How do you forgive?

By walking in love always and you won’t be easily angered or easily offended. How easily do you get offended? 1 Cor 13:5.

Forgiveness removes pain and grudge from your heart. You become happier and this is what the Lord desires for you. Forgiveness releases you from emotional prison. When your heart is pure, the Lord can find a place in it and fill it with love. When your life is free from grudges, the Lord can start sending you miracles. Steps to Forgiveness include Uncover your anger; Decide to forgive; Work on forgiveness; Release yourself from emotional bondage.

When do you forgive?

You should forgive before you are offended. You let go even before the offense happens.

You decide up front that you will not be offended. Offense is a regular occurrence, and we get easily irritated. Walking in love decreases that occurrence a lot. The truth is that we are offended regularly, and we offend people regularly. But you can decide upfront that you won’t be offended. A pastor may be preaching, and you think he is talking about you; someone may laugh, and you conclude it is about you. When you take offence, you then realize that you have allowed someone to put you in an emotional prison. You can have unforgiveness and not know it! How many of us have someone in our lives that have offended us, lied to us, or betrayed us? Think about it and pray that you forgive whomever that is for whatever they did. Release the spirit of forgiveness so you’d be released from that burden.

Questions to Ponder on

1. How do you know when you’ve truly forgiven someone?
2. How does forgiveness bring us closer to God?
3. What’s the first step to forgiveness?
4. With God, is forgiveness a choice?
5. Can forgiveness be given without repentance?
6. What are the benefits of forgiving someone?

Conclusion

So much happened for us on the cross, that’s where He sacrificed His life for us. Why did He do it? Luke 23: 27-37, That’s where forgiveness started. God is so full of love and ready to forgive when we sincerely ask, and so we should too. I know most of the time it’s far from easy, but the more we condition ourselves spiritually and become closer to the Lord, the easier it becomes.