Forgiveness

I am not a bitter person. I rarely hold grudges, and I don't have a hard time forgiving people. A few weeks ago someone annoyed me to no end, and he knew it. About a week later he asked me if we were cool. I looked at him, totally clueless. When he reminded me, I was like, "Oh yeah. I forgot all about that." It's not that I forgive because I'm a better person (I'm not); I just know what it feels like when I choose not to forgive.

I remember hearing "there is freedom in forgiveness and bondage in bitterness." That is so true. Some might feel that the offending party doesn't deserve to be forgiven. Those are the ones that don't realize that forgiveness is not for the one who sinned and repented; forgiveness is for the one who was sinned against.

There are people who still harbor unforgiveness toward me, even after I repented and attempted reconciliation multiple times. I know I'm not perfect, and I've hurt people. But I know that God commands us to forgive those who repent - even if they sin seven times against you in the same day! And Jesus said to forgive seventy-seven times! Knowing that there is unforgiveness toward me doesn't make me angry or sad for myself. It makes me sad for them. Why would anyone choose to walk in bondage when they could have freedom through forgiveness?!

Aside from the feelings of angst and heaviness and emotional baggage that unforgiveness and bitterness cause, God commands us to forgive each other. It is not an option. God's word is very clear about His stance.

Matthew 6:14-15 - For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

“The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’

“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

 Luke 17:3-4 - “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Colossians 3:13 - Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.


So, if you're holding onto a grudge against someone for a wrong they committed, I encourage you to ask God for strength to forgive them. You're worth it to be completely free of the bondage that comes from the sin of unforgiveness.