Forgiveness Is Possible

By: Gina Welsh

Thursday, October 17, 2024

"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” Luke 6:41 (ESV)

I recently heard someone say, "Reading some scriptures is like enjoying a piece of hard candy. You have to let them roll around and melt in your mouth, slowly savoring all of their flavor." That is a true statement for me because there are certain portions of scripture that I need to repeatedly savor. Why? Because they are difficult to put into practice and live out. Some of them I wish I could chew up, swallow, and never revisit... But we all have tendencies, and some of them require more of our attention than others. Unforgiveness is an area many of us must devote extra attention to.

Left unchecked, the anger, bitterness, and resentment from unforgiveness becomes a poison that will affect every area of our lives. Harboring unforgiveness hinders our relationship with the Lord and it keeps us from savoring the truth of God's Word. But forgiving others becomes much easier when we remember what Jesus did for us. Our sin separated us from God, so we needed someone to forgive our sin and restore our relationship with God. Jesus did that! When He forgave us, He made it possible for us to forgive others like He did.

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (ESV)

Unforgiveness causes us to focus on the speck of sin in the eyes of others while blinding us to the huge log in our own eyes. Unchecked unforgiveness and bitterness are bondages that shackle us like prisoners. Christ followers must always be willing to make allowances for each other's faults and forgive anyone who offends us. Why? Because the Lord forgave us (Colossians 3:13). It's not always easy to forgive others when they've wronged us, but it is possible.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32 (NLT)

God commands us to forgive, and all things are made possible by Him and through Him. If you're struggling to forgive, ask The Holy Spirit to help you! Remember, you aren't condoning their behavior or forgetting what they did, you're "letting it go" so you can be freed from the burden of unforgiveness.