“12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others…..16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” —Colossians 3:12-13,16-17
“31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” —Ephesians 4:31-32
“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.”
– C.S. Lewis
Forgiveness is hard when you have been hurt.
“21 Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ 22 ‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!’” —Matthew 18:21-22
Forgiveness is not fair.
“10 He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. 11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. 12 He has removed our sins as far from as the east is from the west.” —Psalm 103:10-12
Forgiveness is the key that sets you free from the prison of offense.
For us to forgive we need to recall how much we have been forgiven of.
“’That’s right,’ Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 47 ‘I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.’ 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ 49 The men at the table said among themselves, ‘Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?’ 50 And Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’” —Luke 7:44-50
Forgiveness is giving others what God gave you.
“9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” —1 John 1:9
Someone has to make the first move towards forgiveness.
“32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. 34 Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’” —Luke 23:32-34