Extending forgiveness is the most important undertaking a person will ever attempt. It goes far beyond just saying, “I forgive you.” When God forgives us, he completely forgets our sins. We, however, can’t forget so completely, but when we sincerely forgive, punishment or revenge-seeking is not pursued.
If forgiveness has taken place, the wounds inflicted by the offense begin to heal. To demonstrate your sincerity in forgiving an offense, the moment the offense is remembered, immediately turn it over to God. He will help you go through the process of forgiving the offender again by instilling in you a heart of compassion.
Asking God to cleanse you from anger, resentment, and hate is another way to demonstrate your desire to forgive. When you ask God to forgive you, he acts with compassion and pity and erases your offense from his memory. To forgive authenticates the compassion Jesus extended to you.
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There is no other god like you, O Lord; you forgive the
sins of your people who have survived. You do not stay angry forever, but you
take pleasure in showing us your constant love.
~Micah 7:18 Good News Bible
Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should
I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven time enough?” Jesus
answered, “Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!”
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