GOD IS MERCIFUL AND FORGIVING – FORGIVE!
1 John 4:8
Last Sunday,we reflected on a profound truth: love is the very nature of God. John writes, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love”(1 John 4:8). To know God is to walk in love. If love is absent, we cannot truly say we know Him.
The Bible also shows us what true love looks like: “Love… keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5,NIV).
Have you been wronged or offended recently? How did you deal with it? Did you try to ignore it, or did you carry it silently? Do those painful feelings still resurface? Do you find yourself avoiding the one who hurt you? Can you sit comfortably at the same table with them?
The truth is,unforgiveness is a joy killer. It drains life from us. As resentment takes root, we become anxious and restless. We replay the offense in our minds again and again.
Dr. Michael Barry, pastor and author of The Forgiveness Project, explained:
“Harboring negative emotions like anger andhatred creates a state of chronic anxiety. Chronic anxiety produces excess adrenaline and cortisol, which weaken the immune system and deplete natural killer cells—the body’s foot soldiers against cancer.”
Unforgiveness doesn’t just poison our own hearts—it poisons our homes, marriages,friendships, and even churches. It makes us irritable, defensive, and joyless.
But Jesus offers us something far better. He said in John 10:10, “I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.” That abundant, meaningful life cannot flourish if we cling to bitterness and unforgiveness.
What Is Forgiveness?
Forgiveness is an act of love that cancels the wrongs done against us. This is exactly what God has done for us in Christ.
Ephesians 2:4–5 reminds us: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.”
Psalm 103 describes His forgiveness so beautifully:“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Forgiveness is rooted in grace. God, throughJesus’ death and resurrection, blotted out our transgressions (Isaiah 43:25).
Forgiveness is not about condoning wrong, tolerating evil, or pretending it never happened. It is not indifference, nor does it guarantee the other person will change.Forgiveness is a decision to extend grace—the same grace God has freely given us.
Why Must We Forgive?
We forgive because God commands it. Colossians 3:13 says: “Forgive one another… just as the Lord forgave you.”
We forgive because if we do not, bitterness takes over. Warren Wiersbe once defined bitterness as “harbored resentments, keeping a score of wrongs that poison the inner man.” And the only way to uproot bitterness is to forgive.
We forgive because Jesus said our fellowship with God depends on it: “If you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:15).
And we forgive because unforgiveness hinders prayer: “If I had cherished sin in my heart,the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18).
How Do We Forgive?
The New Testament uses two words for forgiveness:
Aphiemi — to release, to set free, topardon.
Charizomai — to freely give grace, as agift.
Forgiveness is both a release and a gift.
Andy Stanley put it this way:
“In the shadow of my hurt,forgiveness feels like rewarding my enemy. But in the shadow of the cross,forgiveness is simply a gift from one undeserving soul to another.”
So how do we actually forgive?
Remember what Jesus has done for you. He forgave you completely. Begin with gratitude.
Decide to extend grace. Forgiveness is not a feeling—it’s a choice. As Tim Keller once said: “Forgiveness must be granted before it can be felt.”
Release the person. Cancel their debt. Say in your heart: “I release you, just as the Lord has released me from my sins.”
Forgiveness is not easy. It costs us something. But when we forgive, we step into freedom. We not only obey God’s command, but we also free ourselves from bitterness and open our hearts to the abundant life Jesus promised.
So let us choose to forgive—because God, who is merciful and loving, has first forgiven us.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Forgiveness is described as both a release and a gift of grace. Think about a time when you struggled to forgive. How might gratitude for God’s forgiveness toward you change your perspective?
Unforgiveness is called a “joy killer” that poisons not only our hearts but also our relationships. How have you seen bitterness damage relationships, either in your own life or in the lives of others?
Tim Keller said, “Forgiveness must be granted before it can be felt.” What is one step you can take this week to move toward forgiveness, even if the feelings aren’t there yet?
PRAY CARE SHARE IN ACTION
As God has forgiven us, let us not only choose forgiveness in our own hearts but also share this message of mercy with others. Someone around you may be burdened by bitterness—be the voice that points them to the freedom and peace found in Christ.