How Is Compassion Related to Forgiveness?

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!”

~Matthew 18:21-22 Contemporary English Version

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Gripped by Toxic Anger? Get Help

Forgiveness is as much a relationship issue as it is a spiritual issue. Forgiveness is not a simple, easy process requiring little effort or energy. A Gallup poll found that 80% of Americans believe they cannot forgive deeply from the heart without God's help. A Christian counselor’s primary object is to help people work toward forgiveness.

The objective of forgiveness is to free people from bitterness, even when it’s rooted in justifiable anger. In addition to freeing you from the grip of toxic anger and hostility, another objective of forgiveness is to obtain a better understanding of yourself and those who offended you. God’s objective is to give you faith which will save you from sin and death.

It's incredibly important to realize the relationship between deep-seated anger, lack of forgiveness and a person’s need for unhealthy control of situations and people. Christian counseling provides insight and tools for exposing and expressing anger within appropriate boundaries. God provides insight when we earnestly seek it.  

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At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?” Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.”

~Matthew 18:21-22 The Message

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

~Psalm 130:3-4 New International Version

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

~1 Peter 3:8-9 New American Standard Bible