One of the most common calls that Christ gives to his followers is that they should forgive one another. It’s all over the pages of Scripture! And it is hard. When we sin or mess up, it is hard to apologize. We wonder what to say, how to say it, and sometimes if we even … Continue reading The Nuts & Bolts Of Forgiveness: How To Apologize, Forgive, And Help Others Do It Too
It is difficult to wrap our brains around God’s call to “Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). We’ve looked in past weeks at why we must forgive as well as the question of how to forgive someone who has hurt us. But sometimes, we struggle most at forgiving ourselves. Sometimes, when we look … Continue reading How can I forgive myself?
Last week, we looked at why we forgive others. It is not because they deserve it, they apologized, or because the issue no longer matters. We forgive because God first forgave us. Colossians 3:13 states it clearly: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” This statement also helps us to begin to understand how we are … Continue reading How can I forgive someone who has hurt me?
It is difficult to forgive. Yet, forgiveness is at the center of the Christian life. Why? Whether the hurt is simply my wounded pride or a significant physical trauma, it is always difficult. It does not feel fair. Must we forgive when there has been no justice? When the other person isn't even sorry? Well... … Continue reading Why should I forgive others?
We live in a broken world. Horrible things happen on a regular basis, and I’m certain that some of those things have happened to you. Yet God calls us to forgive. Repeatedly in Scripture, God calls Christians to forgive others when they hurt us - even if they do not ask for forgiveness. Why? Simply … Continue reading Why does God want us to forgive others?
I may not know you, but I know that you have been hurt before. In fact, I am confident to say that at some point, you’ve been hurt by someone who is really important to you. We all have. When hurt comes, our natural response is to defend ourselves. Sometimes, this means running away, leaving … Continue reading What does forgiveness look like in real life?