Ten Facts About Forgiveness
Forgiveness is an act of love and will always bear healthy fruits. It is a conscious decision which will make you decide to overlook the offense and weakness of others.
God commands us to forgive our offenders seventy times seven times. Those who hurt us do not have the grace, capacity and ability to love, yet we must live among them.
Anyone who causes harm to another person actually owes that person. He is a debtor to his victim, however, the victim must be generous like God and cancel that debt. Cancellation means forgetting about pay back and human vengeance. Vengeance belongs to God and God knows how to fight for His children. When God forgave the unforgiving servant, He cancelled his debts and released him of the obligation to pay, but the ungrateful servant went ahead to force his debtor to payback. This is the life of humans – Ingratitude to God, but few have kept their garments clean while waiting for their beloved bridegroom. We must forgive just as God forgave us in Christ Jesus.
Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. – Matthew 18:27
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. – 2 Corinthians 5:19
But those who depend on faith, not on deeds, and who believe in the God who declares the guilty to be innocent, it is this faith that God takes into account in order to put them right with himself. – Romans 4:5
We must refuse to let our minds become willing tools in the hands of the devil. God has commanded us to forgive and we really have no choice in this matter, however, we must get to the place of wisdom and conviction. We must get to the place of conscious decision to always forgive. Listed below are some basic facts about forgiveness.
- God forgave us in Christ
We must learn from Jesus our ultimate example and the greatest teacher that ever lived on earth. If God forgave us and cancelled our punishments, it is unwise and an act of ingratitude to require payment and hold on to vengeance and ill will.
2 Forgiveness is a commandment
God commands us to forgive and love others as ourselves. Even though we are free and have a choice, it is not wise to disobey God and cling to toxic thoughts and attitudes.
3. Your offender is human.
A wise person has complete knowledge of himself, other humans, God and his environment. Lack of knowledge and understanding is what leads men to expect perfection from others. Humanity is frail and weak in love, and forgiveness is a component of love. Our offender is human and cannot function higher than his capacity to love.
4. Forgiveness is a choice
Forgiveness is a choice. We must decide to forgive in order to obtain the ability to forgive. It is God that gives the ability from His throne of grace where we receive mercy and find help.
Because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose. – Philippians 2:13
When we decide to forgive, God will give us the grace and ability.
5. Inner Cleansing
Forgiveness will cleanse your inner garment and take you to the shores of purity and holiness. Purity in turn attracts the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Unforigiveness is toxic to the soul. It is a very potent spiritual poison that destroys the inner man slowly without the victim’s consciousness and awareness.
The victim unwittingly enjoys it and derives some form of perverse satisfaction from unforgiveness and revenge. Unfortunately, the only outcome of unforgiveness is death and sorrow here, and in the world to come.
6. Unforgiveness makes you a victim
Most people hate to accept that they are victims but when you refuse to forgive you have a rare kind of character disorder and illness. A sick person is a victim of death and needs healing. It is death that controls the mind and thoughts of the unforgiving person. An unforgiving person’s mind is dancing to the tunes of death and enjoying an awkward song of hatred.
7. Forgiveness makes you happier
A person who forgives will always end up being happier because that root of bitterness that grips the soul no longer has power over him. Forgiveness means freedom and freedom makes you happier.
8. Forgiveness makes you healthier
When you practice forgiveness you end up healthier because you refuse to think toxic thoughts of hatred. Refreshing hurtful, bitter events in our minds crushes the spirit and causes sadness. Healthy thoughts will always lead to healthier minds and bodies.
9. Avoid abusive relationships
Forgiveness does not mean enjoying sadistic abusive relationships. When someone you are intimate with constantly attacks, criticises and intentionally hurts you, you must reduce the fellowship. Love the person from a distance, but forgive the offender. Being in the constant company of an abuser will lead to bitterness and anger. It will also erode your self-esteem. Your abuser will end up leaving scars on your soul and turn you into a victim and a doormat. That is not God’s will.
10. Unforgiveness hinders prayers
When the unforgiving servant refused to forgive his debtor, God reversed His decree of mercy on him and handed him over to the tormentors until he paid back all that he owed. Our Lord’s Prayer also says “forgive us our debts as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Forgiveness blocks and cuts off God’s grace and mercy that we received in Christ Jesus. It speaks against us as an aggressive adversary.
