I know that forgiveness is very important. Forgiving ourselves; Forgiving others. Being forgiven!
I have read in the bible that I need to forgive or I won’t be forgiven. I have really struggled to forgive those that have hurt and deceived me.
I struggled for years to forgive someone that really hurt me. I got angry because I just couldn’t do it, and I don’t think I am alone in this problem. Holding grudges seems to be a source of problems for many people, especially those that have been really abused, rejected, deceived, abandoned and hurt a lot.
I saw something this morning that really helped me. I saw how Jesus and Stephen dealt with forgiveness. They didn’t struggle to forgive those that did the most unforgivable act towards them, which most of us know was physical death.
Instead, they both asked the Father not to hold their sin against them. Jesus in Luke 23:34 said, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Stephen in Acts 7:60 said looking into heaven, “Don’t hold this sin against them.”
They both did not want the sin to be held against the very people that were killing them.
Then, in John 20:23 after Jesus rose from the dead and was speaking to the disciples, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit, if you retain the sins of any, they will be retained, but if you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven.
So, I thought to myself, if I can’t really love without His love and if I can’t really be healed or do anything without His power, why would I try to forgive with my own power?
Jesus said, “Father forgive them,” and Stephen said, “Don’t hold this against them.”
Acknowledging to myself the pain that someone has caused me, and asking the Father to forgive them and not hold the sin against them is so releasing and freeing.
It is releasing and freeing to both the one who hurt me and to myself. There is no struggle to try and forgive the ones who have hurt me.
There will be no secret desire of revenge that the other person will get hurt somehow so they will understand how much pain they have caused me.
I will have no inner hope of retribution. I will be releasing them from their sin.
In not retaining their sins I set them free. In not retaining their sin I give them freedom. In not retaining their sin or holding them accountable I release them.
Also, in doing this, I set myself free.
The best thing is, I don’t have to do it. He does it for me.
All I have to do is ask the Father to forgive them. I look at the pain they caused me and I release them to God for forgiveness.
Is there any greater love? Really, is there any greater love than asking for goodness to happen to someone that has hurt me?
It is so different! It is so freeing! What a different concept!
Father, You forgive them! It is a win/win!
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