Greetings on Good Friday!
THINK ABOUT IT… Jesus looked down from the cross upon a scene that must have been distressing to Him. The Roman soldiers were gambling for His clothing; the criminals on the crosses to either side of Him were reviling Him; the religious leaders were mocking Him; the crowd was blaspheming Him. Surrounded by this most undeserving and despicable group of people, Jesus prayed for them. “Father, forgive them” is a prayer of unrivaled mercy and love.
TO FORGIVE… Jesus practiced what he taught. The last three weeks, we have been diving into the Lord’s Prayer and we see forgiveness as vital; not only for our relationship with God but also our relationship with ourselves and others. Jesus said to pray like this, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses (sin) as we forgive those who trespass (sin) against us.” It is here that we see Jesus’ expectation for us to not only receive forgiveness but also give it.
OUR PROTECTOR… In the Lord’s Prayer, we have seen that He is our Father, our King, our Provider, and now we see Him as our Protector. You say, “How does my forgiveness of others protect me?”
Here are 3 ways that practicing forgiveness protects your heart and 5 keys to growing in forgiveness.
1. Forgiveness keeps us close to the cross.
Jesus went to the cross to pay for our sin and offense against God. “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14 (NLT) When we forgive those who have offended us, we are reminded of Christ’s love and forgiveness for our trespasses against Him.
2. Forgiveness safeguards us from bitterness.
I cannot tell you how many Christians I have met whose quality of life has been diminished by bitterness and resentment. Scripture warns, “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” (Hebrews 12:15 NLT) Bitterness is a toxin, which if left unchecked, corrupts the soul. When we forgive, we are actually practicing faith and releasing God’s healing into our souls.
3. Forgiveness begets Forgiveness.
Scripture teaches us that we reap what we sow. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7 ESV) By learning to sow forgiveness, we reap a harvest of forgiveness from others. Most importantly, we see in the Lord’s prayer, Jesus expects us to forgive even as we have been forgiven. Anything short of this becomes disobedience.
KEYS TO GROWING IN FORGIVENESS
1. Recognize that forgiveness is a CHOICE. Your forgiveness is not dependent upon the apology of others. Hanging on the cross did not feel good, but I am so grateful Jesus chose to persevere and say those words. “Father, forgive them.”
2. Say it OUT-LOUD. The conscious you needs to hear yourself choosing to forgive the person or persons who have sinned against you. There is something intangibly empowering when you hear yourself say those words. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
3. Because hurt evokes memories and emotions, forgiveness may be a DAILY CHOICE. Forgiving is not forgetting. Therefore, I have found myself forgiving someone multiple times because the offense continued to lure me back to a place of bitterness. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9 NIV) Right decisions will bring right emotions; don’t give up on choosing to forgive.
4. Know this: Your forgiveness RELEASES them into God’s hands. It does not let someone off the hook, enable them, or cover-up their sin. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (Romans 12:19 ESV) You can trust that your situation is in the hands of a loving and just God.
5. Forgiveness gives you TIME to heal and gain perspective. Just because you forgive someone doesn’t mean you have to trust them. Trust takes time and it needs to be earned. God will use time to not only repair trust but help you regain perspective. “’The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’ The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” (Lamentations 3:24-25 ESV)
As God forgives you, He expects you to forgive. Even if that person happens to be yourself. He chose to forgive and, now, so can you. God wants to protect you my friend. God is your Father, He is your King, He is your Provider, and He is your Protector.
I’m praying for you. Know this, you are not alone.
Rick Lorimer
Lead Pastor
Christ Place Church
“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” – Corrie Ten Boom
“Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” – Saint Augustine
