Day 18: Forgiveness

“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

Each evening when I put my kids to bed, we say our prayers and do a heart check. I ask each of them how their heart is doing, and I ask two questions: (1) Do they need to ask forgiveness from anyone that they mistreated or disobeyed or if they broke any of God’s Ten Commandments? and (2) Do they need to give forgiveness to anyone that wronged or upset them. You can imagine that what they say can lead to some great opportunities to take the conversation to Jesus on the cross at Calvary.

A popular phrase that I have heard is “Forgive but don’t forget.” But when you truly forgive someone, you are forgetting what that person has done against you. You are saying that it is in the past, and it does not exist anymore. You are putting it out of your mind and heart. When God forgives He puts the wrong in a place to be forgotten – never to be visited again.

Many Christians say they have forgiven someone, yet find themselves bringing up the transgression later (me). You cannot forgive someone and still be angry at them for what they have done. God tells us to forgive each other as He has forgiven us. He instructs us not to judge them for their actions, after we have pardoned them. He tells us not to hold a grudge against them, but rather forgive them in our hearts (Matthew 18:35).

~Chris Dyer