And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)
Forgiveness is powerful. It can cause your relationships to grow to an entirely new level. But we have to really forgive, not just say that we have.
If you’re like most Christians, you’ll say that you’ve forgiven everyone who has hurt you because you know you’re supposed to. But if you’re still focused on the anger, resentment or bitterness, you haven’t yet fully forgiven.
Feeling these strong feelings every time you think about that person may also be a sign that you’re still walking through the process, which is okay as long as you keep going! You see, forgiveness is not a split-second decision. It’s something you walk out day by day. It starts with a choice, but then it’s a daily decision after that. Every time you choose to forgive instead of focusing on the hurt and pain, it gets a little easier.
As you walk through this process, you’ll begin to let go of the pain that you’ve associated with that person. Eventually you will be able to think about the person or talk about the event without any emotional reaction. Through the process of forgiveness, which we’re going to delve into over the next few days, you can get to a place of healing in your relationships.
Every time we mess up and ask God for forgiveness, He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). Because you follow Jesus, you also have what you need within you to forgive like He forgives. Start the process today by telling God that you choose to forgive the person who’s hurt you, and you’ll begin to activate His power in your life to forgive.