Supernatural Grace to Forgive

Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash

Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

- Acts 7:60

I listened to this verse in a morning devotional recently. It has always amazed me that Stephen had the grace to forgive those who were literally in the process of stoning him to death when in my own life I can have trouble forgiving someone (including myself!) of even the smallest thing.

We know the ability to forgive doesn’t come naturally to our flesh - quite the opposite. We need the transformative power of the Holy Spirit flowing through us to enable it. This certainly tracks in Stephen’s case, because earlier in the passage we read that Stephen was “full of the Holy Spirit.”

Imagine being so full of the Holy Spirit that compassion overtakes you and your senses are fully fixated on the ways of the Lord. It's remarkable. We’re of course reminded of a similar response (and the ultimate act of forgiveness), when Jesus said in Luke 23:24, ““Father, forgive them (His executioners!), for they do not know what they are doing…”

This kind of indwelling of the Spirit does not happen in isolation, but instead requires a continual, consistent practice of Christian disciplines like prayer, repentance, and reading of the Word. I find that when I neglect these disciplines, I am much less able (or willing!) to forgive.

Forgiveness is a core tenant of the Christian faith, and yet it can be one of the hardest. Perhaps that’s why it’s emphasized in Scripture so many times. If forgiveness can sometimes be a struggle for you as it is for me, I encourage you to study the following verses as you ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with supernatural grace to forgive (and make sure to catch tonight’s prayer on this topic, too): Ephesians 4:32, Matthew 6:14, Colossians 3:13, Mark 11:25, and Luke 6:37.

Questions for Reflection:

1. I find that forgiveness is not always a “one and done,” meaning I sometimes have to forgive someone in my heart several times before my flesh comes into alignment with the Holy Spirit and I actually mean it. Do you relate to this? If so, you’re not alone! Sometimes forgiveness is a process. Keep at it, friend.

2. Do you agree with me that consistent practice of Christian disciplines helps us remain in a posture of forgiveness? If so, what do you do to keep this posture?

3. I mention above how sometimes it's hardest to forgive myself. Do you also find this to be true? I usually have much more grace for others than for myself. Yet we're called to forgive ourselves just as much as others. Jesus paid the ultimate price for ALL of us to be forgiven. We must remember this! We must be repentant, of course, but we must also have grace for ourselves.