What is forgiveness? [Day 1]
Forgiveness in short, is letting go of all hurt that someone may have caused you. The Webster dictionary says it best: forgiveness is to give up resentment of or claim to amends. In other words, it means to cease to feel resentment against (an offender).
This act, must be intentional and voluntary, not forced by anyone or anyone’s actions. Rather, a person has to decide in their heart to completely let go of any offense that someone has caused them. What does the Bible say about forgiveness? 1 Corinthians 13:4&5 talks about what Love is and how when we truly love, we hold no records of wrong. That is what true forgiveness is and requires.
We don’t only forgive when the one in the wrong comes to apologize. But rather, in order to have our brother or sister back, we let it go completely even before the person does. Waiting for the offender to ask for forgiveness before forgiving them is basically asking for a compensation for the wrong the person has done, and it shouldn't be that way.
Forgiveness does not mean pretending that an offense didn’t occur. What good does it do for you, when you act as if what someone did to you didn’t hurt you, but deep down it does. Knowing and acknowledging what someone has done to you does not mean you haven’t forgiving them. It just means that you are aware of the hurt it caused you but have let go of the resentment.
There are so many instances in the Bible, where the Lord forgave people of their sins, but those sins were still recorded in the Bible for us to know. But the Lord didn’t hold on to any resentment towards this people.
Forgiveness simply means, willingly letting go of pain, anger resentment towards anybody. It’s difficult, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can show true forgiveness.
Prayer Father Lord, help me to freely let go of all hurt that anyone has caused me from today onward. In Jesus’s name I pray! Amen!