“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” – Matthew 6:14
Bryant Wright, Founder
“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
Have you ever noticed that little two-letter word in the Lord’s Prayer? It says “And forgive us of our sins AS we forgive those who sin against us.” Did you catch that? The word “as” implies that we cannot be forgiven until we offer that same forgiveness to others. In case we miss the “as,” Jesus emphasizes the point in the next verse: “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Forgiving someone who has treated you badly, or said unkind things about you, or maybe even broken up your family, is incredibly difficult. Just to be clear, forgiveness doesn’t mean you’ll forget. You’ll remember – but your heart and action toward that person are changed. It definitely doesn’t mean that the consequences of their behavior are magically erased. Rather, forgiveness means letting go of the bitterness that unforgiveness can breed. Remember, bitterness is the poison that we drink, while hoping the other person dies. Forgiveness means leaving the final judgment up to God. God, with all authority in heaven and on earth, is the One to punish evil.
In many circumstances, forgiveness truly takes Godly intervention. And yet, God commands us to forgive. Why? Because Christ has first forgiven us.
If you are struggling with forgiveness, ask God for the ability and desire to forgive the person who hurt you. Not only will God give you the power to do so, but He will also empower you supernaturally to love them. It is one of life’s greatest miracles!
DIG DEEPER
Read “God Forgives – We Should Too” also by Bryant Wright
