How to Forgive
Matthew 5:44,45 But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong.
Forgiving people who’ve hurt you, well that’s a great idea, in theory. But in practice, when you’re still hurting, how do you set about actually doing that?
One of the hardest things to do – absolutely, with a degree of difficulty 9.9 – is to forgive someone who’s hurt you deeply and who, quite frankly, simply doesn’t deserve your forgiveness.
Look, sometimes, we struggle to forgive because of our stupid pride. “Why should I forgive them? I mean, they should come to me and ask me for forgiveness after what they did!” We’ve all done that.
But other times, the wound is so deep that we just don’t know how to stop the pain for long enough to forgive. And the deeper the wound, the harder it is.
So when it hurts that much … how do you forgive? Because unless you do, the pain eats away at you like a cancer. That’s why forgiving’s so important. But how?!
Matthew 5:44,45 But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong.
I’ve only ever discovered one way to forgive and to be free of hurts of the past.
Love your enemies and pray for those who treat you badly.
It’s not easy, but let me tell you, through that obedience, God heals your heart. He gives you the power to forgive. He sets you free.
Don’t carry unforgiveness around in your heart. If you do, the hurts will keep on hurting.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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