Forgiveness isn’t Easy!

How easy is it for you to forgive others who have wronged you? Are there certain things that someone could do that you would consider unforgivable? Who do you need to forgive and why have you been unable to do so?

Forgiving others is not always easy, but knowing what is required of us, can help us through the process of forgiving those who have wronged us. Forgiveness requires that you understand that it is a decision and a promise to release a person by canceling the real debt the person has with you. But what if the person does not want or deserve to be forgiven? What if the debt is something that could never be paid back. Are we still required to forgive?

If you are a Christian, then the answer is yes. A major element of our faith is our understanding that we forgive because God has forgiven us. Gratitude to God should motivate us to forgive others. But when the hurt and pain is too deep and forgiveness seems impossible, we might need to remind ourselves that forgiving others is not optional—it’s a prerequisite for our own forgiveness. As Jesus said, “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).

For me this is one of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life. It is one requirement of my faith that I struggle with the most. As much as I appreciate that God has forgiven me, I struggle to not want revenge or justice for when I am wronged. Wanting revenge and justice for being wrong is a natural human response. Something I have learned however is that choosing to forgive does not necessarily disqualify justice. It means that I will no longer expect that the person who wronged me could ever make up for what has been taken. I have decided to move on and seek peace from the situation.

This Sunday we will be beginning a 4-week sermon series that will discuss this difficult aspect of the Christian life as well as a few others. We will learn what they are, why we need to persevere, and also how. So, join us this Sunday at 8:30 and 10:45 AM as we continue this conversation.

In God’s grip,

Pastor Chuck Church