Biblical Answer

Forgiveness is a vital part of our daily routines, especially when we've been hurt. It's an act of self-defense, a way to stop the bleeding of resentment and bitterness. Forgiveness doesn't mean that the other person is right, it means we're free. However, forgiveness is a process, not an event. It takes practice to perfect it, and we may need to renew our forgiveness daily. The Bible teaches us that forgiveness is a gift from one undeserving soul to another, and it's a quality that members of the body should possess (1 Pet. 3:8). Forgiveness is the core divine attribute that brought us into God's community (Eph. 4:32). When we forgive, we're not only freeing ourselves from the burden of resentment, but we're also allowing God to work in our lives.

The connection between our forgiving and being forgiven is graphically expounded in the Bible. The point is not that forgiving is a prior condition of being forgiven, but that forgiveness cannot be a one-time event. It's a process that we renew daily. When we forgive, we're not only healing our own wounds, but we're also allowing God to work in our lives. Forgiveness doesn't mean that the other person is right, it means we're free. This freedom is accompanied by a hatred of sin and a hunger for righteousness. If we're not experiencing this hatred of sin and hunger for righteousness, our forgiveness may be spurious.

Forgiveness is a gift that we can give to others, just as God has given us forgiveness. When we forgive, we're not only freeing ourselves from the burden of resentment, but we're also allowing God to work in our lives. The Bible teaches us that forgiveness is a quality that members of the body should possess (1 Pet. 3:8). Forgiveness is the core divine attribute that brought us into God's community (Eph. 4:32). When we forgive, we're not only healing our own wounds, but we're also allowing God to work in our lives. This forgiveness is a gift that we can give to others, just as God has given us forgiveness. When we forgive, we're not only freeing ourselves from the burden of resentment, but we're also allowing God to work in our lives.