Forgiveness is Hard – Help me to Forgive - Audio

The Gathering Place Church - main

1. Focus on how you have been forgiven. Luke 6:36 “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. We are to forgive others just the way God forgave us. What were you like when you came to God for forgiveness? You were at your worst! You did not deserve to be forgiven, yet He gave it to you. This realization helps us to release forgiveness. 2. Seek understanding. At the moment of releasing forgiveness Jesus said, “Father, forgive them , for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 3. Make a choice to open your heart to God’s forgiveness flowing through you. As a human you only have so much forgiveness within your human nature, but you are connected to an infinite supply of forgiveness which God will give you if you choose to let it flow to the person who hurt you. Ask Him to let His forgiveness flow through you. Pronounce it before God to the person. Try praying for them for blessings. 4. Understand that forgiveness and restoration of the relationship are not the same thing. You must forgive but you are not required to return to an abusive relationship. Restoration of a relationship often depends on more than your forgiveness. It may depend on the other person, a. Admitting their sin and b. Changing their behavior. Even if they don’t, you still must forgive (for your own spiritual health). 5. Understand that forgiveness and emotional healing are not the same thing. Forgiveness is a choice you make before God. Healing of your emotional wounds is a process you undertake with God. It often takes time. It is not an automatic result of forgiveness, although forgiveness is usually the first step. Satan goes to work on this point. When you still feel emotional pain after forgiving, he tells you, you failed to forgive properly. This leads to an unending chain of attempted forgiveness which just leads to shame and a false sense of failure. Recognize this lie and reject it. Take you pain to God and process it with Him. Perhaps find a good counselor. Remember forgiveness is a choice you make with God. You are not required to do it perpetually.