Learning to Forgive When Forgiveness Feels Impossible

Photo by Julie Ricard on Unsplash

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

What if I told you that someone paid the debt you owed on your house. No matter if it was 100K or 1 million, what would that freedom mean to your life? Would you live differently? With more enthusiasm, passion, and independence? But what if it was paid by your greatest enemy? Would you accept the money or say “no, thank you?”

When Jesus gave His life for you and I on the Cross of Calvary, He died for those who loved Him and those who hated Him. It didn’t matter that people were spitting in His face, mocking Him, and telling Him to come down—He was committed to love and forgiveness. He paid the ultimate price so that we could walk free. Not just debt free, but sin free. Freely loved, redeemed, and forgiven. He paid the price for our sins so that we could someday enter into eternity with Him.

Forgiveness often sounds good but is much harder to do when someone really hurts you. But what compels me to forgive period is the forgiveness God has shown and continually shows me. Just as Christ forgave and forgives me over and over again, I’m called to forgive others just as in Christ, God forgave me.

Remember the debt I asked you about at the beginning of this devotional? You might still be in physical debt to a home or credit card, but in Christ, we’ve been spiritually set free. No more debt, no more shame, and no more separation from Christ. Why wouldn’t we give that gift to those around us? Learning to forgive when it feels impossible does feel impossible, but with Christ, we can be empowered to do all things. Even forgive.

Question for Reflection:

Do you struggle to forgive those who hurt you? Being kind and compassionate to those you love comes naturally, but when it’s your enemies, Christ compels us to look to Him. If you struggle to forgive, talk to God about this. Then, ask Him to remind you of how much He’s forgiven you and to empower you to love and forgive without bounds.

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