Forgive Because God Forgave You

by Rick Warren — February 28, 2021
From The Seven Greatest Words of Love

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

You will, unfortunately, be hurt in this life. And many of those hurts will be intentional—the direct results of what people say about you or do to you. In fact, any time you read the word “forgiveness,” you likely instantly call to mind certain heartaches, hurts, and problems from your past. The memories still feel fresh because you’ve been hurt very deeply.

When you’re hurt deeply, it’s often hard to consider forgiving the perpetrators. But the Bible gives you one very important reason you need to forgive.

You forgive others because God forgave you.

The Bible says in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (NIV).

Thinking about how much God has forgiven you will help you be more forgiving of those who have hurt you.

The opposite is also true. If you don’t believe and accept in faith that you’ve been forgiven by God, you’ll likely have a hard time forgiving others. If that’s the case, consider whether you truly believe God has forgiven you. Talk to God about any doubts.

Think of it like this: God has completely wiped your slate clean of sin because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. All of the things you deserve to be punished for have been cleared away because God has forgiven you. As you accept this truth, you’ll find it increasingly tough to hold a grudge against someone else.

No matter what anyone does to you, you’ll never have to forgive another person more than God has already forgiven you. And he has forgiven you. That’s a promise.

Talk It Over

  • When you hear the word “forgiveness,” what hurts from your past come to mind? Have you forgiven the people who caused those hurts?
  • Have you experienced God’s forgiveness? Do you really believe you are forgiven? If you do, then freely forgive others. If you don’t, then ask God to help you truly believe you are forgiven and, in turn, to help you forgive other people.
  • How can you express your thanks to God today for his forgiveness?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.