Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Numbers 14:18
“The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty.”
When I was younger I had a bad habit of holding grudges against those who had wounded me or a friend. I would sometimes hold onto the bitterness for many years. One day a dear friend explained how she was able to let offenses go; she trusted God to avenge the offender in His time where it was appropriate. After that I started working hard on forgiving a litany of violations. In one particular case it was not appropriate to talk to the “criminal” [Criminal only in my mind], but I could demonstrate my changed heart by shopping at the store owned by one of these people who’d hurt my friend some 20 years prior. What freedom and peace I began to experience! I was also better able to accept the grace God extends your me through Christ Jesus.
“It is important to extend grace and forgiveness to those who have wounded us. I know this can be easier said than done, but through Christ it is possible. Often the one who brought us pain has no idea the heartache they have caused. I often wonder whom I could have hurt without meaning to, and I hope and pray they forgive me for my thoughtless actions.”
Shari Braendl
Who do you need to forgive today?🚦
Stoplight Devotionals 