August 7, 2026
Why Forgiveness Matters
Forgiveness is like exercise. The more we practice it, the stronger we become. Don’t just forgive your spouse and children. Or your friends. When you see cruelty on the news, hear terrible stories, remember God wants to redeem perpetrators, and He has a belief they will come to Him and be changed.
While forgiveness goes against our emotional responses, eventually we mature to the point where we understand forgiveness is not for the offender, it is for the offended. Forgiving others is like vacuuming your heart. The anger you’ve been feeling goes away, taking with it resentment, distrust, and negative expectations for your next encounter. Forgiveness blesses us as much as it blesses the people we forgive.
When we exercise God’s kind of love we automatically act out of an attitude of grace. We remember when something or someone tempted us to do something even when our conscience warned us it was not godly. Sometimes it feels like our government is not fair, is not righteous, and does not treat everyone equally. That is likely true. It was also true when Jesus told Peter to pay taxes. But He provided the funds for that payment by placing a coin in a fish’s mouth. Pay taxes and trust God when the government takes way more than their share. God makes a way when there is no way.
Interestingly, I understand the need to forgive those who have personally hurt me or caused pain. Where I struggle is in forgiving violent and criminal people who keep everyone on edge and worried. In the Old Testament, God would smite and destroy evil and I sometimes want to do a bit of smiting. Forgiving cruelty and wickedness is hard. Our adversary is quick to remind us of our sins every time he notices we’re a little down. Always remind him who you are in Christ, and he will surrender and walk away.
Dear God, Thank You for helping me understand forgiveness. It has never been to benefit the person who has caused pain, but rather to keep the offended person faithful to God’s commands. We are asked to pray for those who harm us or cause us pain. To pray for our enemies. God reminds us it is easy to pray for friends and family, people who will pray for us in return. We are salt and light. God sends angels to protect us. Forgive. It is not easy. But if God still see possible redemption in someone, we can show the grace of prayer. God will likely apply His promised consequences to the offensive behavior when the time comes.
Forgiveness and Prayer
“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25