Weekly Devotional: Learning to Forgive One Another

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32

God teaches and calls us to be kind to one another; He asks us to forgive people as well. However, as humans it can be difficult to not only verbally forgive someone, but to mean it internally as well. There are some things in our lives that are easy to forgive and move on from, but there are others that are harder to forget. If someone in your life does something that is truly unforgivable, what can you do to resolve your heart from being hardened toward them? Jesus has shown us unbelievable signs of forgiveness when people around him did not believe his word and scolded him.

For those learning to forgive the more difficult impasses, Jesus gives us the ultimate example. In Luke Chapter 23:34, as the Romans persecuted Jesus and tied him to the cross, he exclaimed “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing." Even at the end of his life, Jesus wanted to accept and forgive the same people who had caused him the most suffering he could ever imagine.

Forgiveness Makes Love Prosper

“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” – Proverbs 17:9

When we choose not to forgive others, this can create pride in our spirit and can cause destruction toward our faith. Unforgiveness may affect us more than the situation or person we decide not to forgive. The constant dwelling on these difficulties can build up in our minds and make us question God’s reasoning to forgive others. However, when we recognize that God made everyone equal we can learn to love one another and choose to forgive. Learning to forgive each other’s sins teaches us the importance of love and how God has given us this gift to share.

God Has Forgiven Us

"The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him." – Daniel 9:9

As humans, we have rebelled against God, whether it is in our faith or through our sins. However, even though we have sinned against Him, He has forgiven our sins. God has sent His son to die on the cross so he could bear the punishment for our sins so we can be saved if we call on his name. Before we decide to hold our grudges against one another and decide whether someone is worthy of being forgiven, let us remember that God has died for us so that we could live and therefore have the faith to forgive one another, no matter the hardships it may bring to us.