The Supernatural Choice of Forgiveness

Think about your life for a moment.

I imagine someone has hurt you somewhere along the way. Chances are, multiple people have probably hurt you, but for now, think of the person who stands out above the rest.

Maybe a friend or family member said something that tore through your heart.
Or a co-worker betrayed your trust.
Or maybe it wasn’t something someone did, but what they didn’t do.

Whatever it was, when it comes to dealing with how we’ve been hurt in the past, we all face the same crucial choice:

Will we respond with forgiveness or bitterness?

I’m not implying the choice is easy. It’s not. Renowned author C.S. Lewis puts it like this: “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.” While forgiveness is a beautiful concept, it’s challenging to live out.

But consider the consequences of not choosing to forgive.

Bitterness comes with its own difficulties that can slowly eat us up on the inside. And if we’re not careful, we’ll allow what someone did to us in the past to harm our relationships in the present. And I don’t think any of us want that.

On my journey to overcome bitterness, I eventually realized this: Forgiveness isn’t natural; it’s supernatural. Anger, vengeance, and bitterness are natural. Forgiving someone who’s caused you a great deal of pain, well…that’s supernatural. So, we have to get to a point where we recognize that we don’t have the power to forgive in and of ourselves.

I think this is what the Apostle Paul is trying to convey when he tells church members in Ephesus, “Forgive one another, just as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

If we’ve trusted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then we must stay ever mindful of the forgiveness we’ve received. Through Christ, the Lord forgave all our sins and paid a debt we could never afford. He lavished us with amazing grace. As such, how could we not show that same kind of forgiveness to others? Refusing to forgive would be incredibly inconsistent with our identity as a Jesus-follower.

Best-selling author Max Lucado sums it up nicely, “You will never forgive anyone more than God has already forgiven you.”

So, what do we do when forgiving someone seems impossible?

First, we pause and remember how Jesus forgave us (and still forgives us). Then, we admit our weakness and ask for His strength to forgive. In my own life, I’ve found that following these steps isn’t a one-time event. It’s a process that needs to be repeated over and over.

But if we persevere, we’ll eventually experience the supernatural joy of forgiveness and freedom from bitterness. And isn’t that what we all want?
Why not give it a try right now?

Think about who you’re struggling to forgive.
Now, think about why you’re called to forgive that person.

Ask Jesus for His supernatural strength to do what you can’t do alone.

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