Forgive Like Jesus
Beloved, today I will show you how your heavenly Bridegroom practices forgiveness, and how to put it into practice as He does. Now, to understand what God requires of you as it relates to forgiving others, it’s always helpful to look at the life of Jesus while He was here on earth. Christ Jesus is the exact image of the Father in human form, so there is no better person than Him to show you what forgiveness looks like in action. Keep reading to learn how you can forgive like Jesus.
How Did Jesus Forgive?
Remember that Jesus was perfect and lived a sinless life. He never did anything wrong, yet He was grossly mistreated, falsely accused of being possessed by Satan, lied on, abandoned, beaten, mocked, ridiculed, robbed, tortured, and ultimately put to death in the most excruciating way possible.
He was innocent. However, the people who abused Him in both word and deed were guilty.
Even though He did not deserve the treatment He received at the hands of evil men, how did Lord Jesus respond?
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. Luke 23:34
He forgave. Completely.
He asked the Father to forgive the guilty ones who put Him to death by crucifixion.
What Forgiveness Is Not
Beloved, forgiveness does not mean agreeing that the sins committed against you were acceptable.
It does not mean that what was said or done to you that caused deep wounding and death in an area of your life was meaningless or unimportant.
Jesus’s wounds were real, and what happened to Him at the hands of men that He created was pure evil.
Forgiveness is also not reconciliation. It may result in reconciliation but only sometimes.
Forgiveness only takes one person to initiate: you!
Reconciliation takes two people. To reconcile a damaged relationship, you and the other person
must agree to repair what was broken.
That takes humility. That takes vulnerability. That takes compassion and empathy. That takes trust. And it often takes time.
Sometimes, people are unwilling or unable to take the steps necessary for reconciling a relationship. While all healthy relationships are built on a foundation of trust, reestablishing mutual trust isn’t always possible or prudent.
To forgive like Jesus does not necessarily mean the relationship will or should be restored. It simply means that you’ve cleared the other person’s debt and no longer expect payment to be made for whatever they did to you.
If you reach out to reconcile with someone else and are not allowed to do so, know that God will
not hold you responsible. You are not responsible for their choices because you cannot control anyone else’s feelings or actions. What God does expect of you, however, is that you forgive all those who have hurt you in any way and do so from the heart!
Often, God will bring complete restoration and healing to relationships over time. He has done that for me, and He can do the same thing for you!
How Can You Forgive Like Jesus?
Again, whenever questions arise about how God expects you to do something, the best place to search for an answer is in His Word! Repeatedly, the Bible tells us to forgive others like God forgives us. So how does God forgive exactly? Here are a few verses for you to meditate on:
For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:34b)
as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.. (Psalm 103:12)
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19)
He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19)
I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. (Isaiah 44:22)
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)
For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. (Hebrews 8:12)
I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25)
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. (Psalm 116:5)
Divine forgiveness is compassionate, merciful, and comprehensive. When God forgives, He puts the offense out of His mind, never to be brought up again.
In Matthew 18:21–22, when Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive an offense, Jesus responded seventy-seven or seventy times seven.
Either way you read that passage, the number seven represents perfection or completeness.
Jesus was not telling Peter to keep a tally of offenses and then cut off people once they exceeded the limit! He was instructing Peter to forgive perfectly and completely, just like God forgives us!
Practical Steps to Forgive Like Jesus
Forgiveness is simple, but it’s not necessarily easy. The day I chose to forgive a close relative for a lifetime of deep wounds was filled with tears and emotional pain, but I knew I had to do it. I felt God calling me to forgive.
I made a heart decision not to get up off the floor until I released this person from all debt that I felt was owed to me because of what I had suffered. I got on my face before the Lord and prayed until I felt released. I told Jesus about how that person hurt me, what they said and did, and how it made me feel.
I told Him about the consequences of the wounding I’d received, how my life was affected by this person’s actions. I told Him everything.
In the end, I gave Him my pain in exchange for His peace. When I got off my knees, I was changed and free from a lifetime of hurts! Now I have no resentment toward that relative. I can speak to them with genuine kindness. Whenever I think of that person, I no longer have negative emotions rising in my heart. I often pray for God to bless them and their
family; I sincerely mean it!
God is faithful. If you obey, you will be blessed!
Below are some practical steps to follow if you need to walk through forgiveness yourself:
Identify those whom you need to forgive. Invite Holy Spirit to bring all areas of unforgiveness to the forefront of your mind.
Write down the offenders’ names and all the offenses they committed against you.
Continually pray over that person and the situation until you feel peace. Declare they
are entirely forgiven out loud.
Destroy the paper with the written offenses. Shred it, or burn it.
Reconcile with that person if the Holy Spirit directs you to do so.
If the past offenses enter your thoughts again, profess aloud, “I have already forgiven [insert name]. Their debt to me is fully paid. I will not remember their sins against me”
Are You Still Harboring Unforgiveness? See If You Pass This Test!
Beloved, your emotions and reactions can be significant indicators of whether or not you’ve truly forgiven someone else. Here are some signs that you haven’t genuinely forgiven from the heart.
Do you avoid speaking to or interacting with that person at all costs?
Do you feel guarded, upset, or on edge when you think of or are around that person?
When you think of what that person did or said to you, does the memory of it still bring you emotional pain or mental anguish?
Do you constantly think negative thoughts about them?
Do you find it challenging to say genuine, kind words to them?
Do you talk about them behind their backs with a critical or judgmental attitude?
Do you secretly hope for their downfall or take pleasure in hearing negative things about them from others?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you still have work to do concerning forgiveness and complete healing.
Precious One, do you know what is an excellent sign that you’ve totally forgiven someone?
Blessing them!
Being able to pray that God pours out blessing over every aspect of a previous offender’s life, and sincerely meaning it, is a beautiful indication that you’ve genuinely released them from any debt they owed you.
There is one last thing that you need to know, Beloved. Be certain to include yourself in your forgiveness efforts. Often forgiving ourselves is the hardest step we’ll ever take in this lifetime.
Be a Doer of the Word, not Only a Hearer
Now, it’s time to put what you’ve learned into practice.
Carefully consider, Beloved, is there anyone in your life that you need to forgive? Is there anyone from whom you need to seek forgiveness?
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Matthew 5:23-25
Just as it is important to release others for the sins they’ve committed against you, it is equally important to actively seek forgiveness from those you have sinned against.
To put this into action, you can simply go into your secret place and ask Holy Spirit to walk you back through your entire life up until the present time.
Take your time and follow His lead. When He identifies a person or situation that He wants to address with you, talk to Him honestly about it. Pray over the people and situations until you feel released from the burdens they’ve caused in your life. Do not stop praying over until it is done. You will know in your heart when you've reached that point.
God understands how you feel and knows what you’ve endured. Trust Him to bring healing in every area of woundedness. He desires to bring freedom to you today, Beloved.
Will you trust your Bridegroom enough to allow Him to do that for you?
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