To Watch: Embracing Messy Beautiful Forgiveness, Part 1 by Lysa TerKeust
“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive” – C.S. Lewis. This is an opening quotation given by the host of this episode of Focus on the Family, an episode that speaks on perhaps one of the most difficult topics, forgiveness.
Special guest, Lysa TerKeust knows how hard forgiveness can be, as four years ago she was filled with bitterness and sorrow in the wake of her husband’s affair and a hard family season. But despite it all, with the help of God, she managed forgive and to come out of the other side more at peace, happy and fulfilled. Sounds almost impossible?
Watch this video and find out how she did it, and learn how you too can learn to forgive offenses both small and great, and come out of the pain, victorious.
To Listen: Forgiven by Bethel Music & Brian Johnson
Sometimes, what can help us feel more open to forgiving others is when we remember how God has forgiven us. If you take the time to reflect on the person you were before you accepted Jesus into your life; your selfish actions and meanness, your greed and bitterness. And even now that you are saved, the sins you still struggle and wrestle with.
Then think of how God, the Creator of the Universe, the earth and seas, forgave you of those sins well before you were even sorry for them. And then He threw on top of that His deep and unconditional love. How amazing!
This gentle song, “Forgiven” reminds us of that love and that forgiveness, which were revealed to us on the cross by Jesus Christ. Listen and sing along, remembering that you have been forgiven and accepted and let this give you the strength to forgive others.
To Read: His Heart is Broad as Heaven: Why God Delights to Forgive by Scott Hubbard
God is a forgiving God. How many of you know that? Now, how many of you know that He is happy to be so forgiving. In fact, He delights to forgive us. Maybe that last bit doesn’t sit so well with you. Perhaps you feel that when God forgives you He does so grudgingly. But that’s far from true. And that’s what Scott Hubbard emphasises in this article.
God abounds in steadfast love, He is patient and compassionate and full of mercy. This is the God we have a relationship with and this is the same God who truly delights to forgive us. Read this article to learn more about God’s forgiveness and why He loves to forgive.
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/his-heart-is-broad-as-heaven
To Do: Forgive the Wrong, in Your Heart
So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his trespasses.
-Matthew 18:35
This verse concludes the parable of the unforgiving servant who, after being forgiven a great debt (Ten thousand talents) went and punished his fellow servant who owed him even less. (One hundred denarii) At the end of this passage Jesus warns of what will happen to those who do not forgive others, from the heart.
You see forgiveness isn’t about saying you’ve forgiven someone, or thinking about forgiving someone. Forgiveness is about actually forgiving and doing so from your heart, from within yourself. That’s where it counts.
Maybe you’ve gone through the motions of forgiving someone, but your heart is still bitter and hard. If that’s the case, you need to stop and take a step back and forgive from the heart. If it feels impossible, pray for the strength to do so through the Holy Spirit, remembering how God has forgiven you and that forgiveness will set you free.
Bible Verse: Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)
And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
We are commanded by the Lord to be kind and tender-hearted and to also be forgiving people, full of compassion and understanding. It’s true that this all sounds lovely in theory but may be a little harder to actually practice. But we aren’t asked to do this by our own strength but by the help of the Holy Spirit and God.
As you meditate on this verse ask the Lord to show you how to be as this verse asks us to be. Ask Him to give you the strength to do that which you may desire to do, but are finding difficult to do. Then trust Him to give you the ability to love tenderly and kindly and to be forgiving.
