“But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt. 6:15)
Forgiveness isn’t easy. It can be one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever make because your flesh doesn’t want to forgive; it wants vengeance. But God says, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19)
So, you will never have the peace and joy in your life God wants you to have unless you can forgive the people who have hurt you. Here are 3 reasons why it’s essential to forgive others:
#1: BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN
We forgive because God has forgiven us. When you got saved, your sins were not only forgiven, they were deleted from God’s record as if they never happened! In fact, Romans 8 tells say, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” In other words, God doesn’t just bury the hatchet; He destroys it!
Think about this…no one will ever hurt you as much as you have hurt Jesus! Therefore, if He can forgive YOU, then YOU must learn to forgive others.
#2: BECAUSE BITTERNESS ONLY HURTS YOU
That person you are bitter at probably doesn’t even know you are bitter at them. They are probably enjoying their life while you allow bitterness to ruin yours. Holding on to a hurt is like drinking poison and hoping it kills the person you hate. It always hurts you more than it hurts the other person.
You can choose to be happy, or you can hang on to hurt. but you can’t do both.
#3: BECAUSE YOU WILL NEED GOD’S FORGIVENESS AGAIN
You must learn to forgive others because, eventually, you will need God’s forgiveness again, yourself. How will you be able to ask God for HIS forgiveness when you are living in unforgiveness toward someone else?
Let go of the hurt, today. Give it to God and let Him flood your soul with peace and joy again!