I mentioned last week that we often fail to forgive others because we have bought into one or more of the MYTHS that we have been led to believe, even as little children. When we believe these MYTHS, we avoid forgiving others for the hurtful offenses we have received. And last week, we identified 5 of those MYTHS.  

However, after acknowledging one or more of the MYTHS that may have been keeping us from forgiving others, we are confronted with the need to actually forgive them. And that is where I’d like to direct our attention today, recognizing 3 important TRUTHS about forgiveness.

 FORGIVENESS IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD

I suspect that we are all aware that Jesus commands us to forgive others, and the primary passage is found in His Sermon on the Mount:

“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)

And at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus instructed Peter to forgive, “not just seven times, but seventy-seven times,” (Matthew 18:21-22), thus emphasizing the importance of always being willing to forgive others. Secondly,

 FORGIVENESS IS A DECISION THAT OPENS THE DOOR FOR YOU TO BEGIN TO HEAL FROM THE HURTS CAUSED BY OTHERS

It goes without saying that unforgiveness causes bitterness and resentment to invade our souls. We are held captive, prisoners of our own failure to forgive others for their offenses. In short, we must realize that only forgiveness will set us free. Jesus provides us with this well-known and amazing truth:

“If you hold to My teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

And the truth of the matter is that forgiveness sets us free! And thirdly,

 FORGIVENESS IS COSTLY

Forgiving another person is never easy. If it were, forgiving would not be such a difficult commandment to keep. Let’s identify some of the costs associated with forgiveness.

When you forgive, you refuse to demand payment for the hurt and pain that the other person caused you. In reality, how could someone ever repay you for what they have done to you?

 When you forgive, you choose to live with the consequences of the other person’s actions without bringing it up to them again. Let’s remember that when the Lord forgives us, He “buries in the deepest sea” and never brings it up again.

 When you forgive, you choose to disregard the other person’s sin by refusing to dwell upon it yourself, and by not sharing it with others. Oh how we take pleasure in “throwing the offending person under the bus” by sharing with others what they had done to us! However, if we continue to dwell on the other person’s sin and cannot refrain from sharing it with others, then we really haven’t forgiven that person.

As you can see, forgiveness is costly, and don’t let anyone tell otherwise! We should always follow the example of Jesus as He hung on the cross when He said,

“Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Did those who condemned Jesus recognize that the One whom they were crucifying was the Son of God, the One who came to redeem them? Of course not! Then we need to forgive others, even though they may not recognize their sin, and even though they do not seek our forgiveness.

Let’s all make sure that we take the costly step of forgiving others for the pain and suffering they have caused us. May God  bless you all.