And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.(Ephesians 4:32)To forgive is not always easy, but it is an extremely important act. It does not matter what someone has done to us, we are commanded to forgive them. That may seem like a very difficult commandment, but God has given it to us for our good, as unforgiveness only hurts the one holding it in their heart – it does not hurt the one against whom it is held.
Failure to forgive will hinder our faith, and it will rob us of our peace and joy. It will cause the offense to stay alive in our heart and mind, continuing to torment us. So although it is not always easy to forgive when we or someone we love has been treated wrongly, it is still a commandment, and a very necessary thing to do if we are to be free of the hold the offense committed will have on us.
Forgiving is a decision that we make, and by faith, we receive it as done, even if thoughts try to arise to get us to take hold of the hurt and/or anger again. We must refuse to do so, and walk on in freedom from the torment of unforgiveness.
The Power of Forgiveness - Joel Osteen
