Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
. . . as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Colossians 3:13
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
Matthew 18:21-22
Other Passages - Romans 12:19; Romans 8:1; Matthew 5:44
The first and often the only person healed by the forgiveness is the person who does the forgiving. When we genuinely forgive, we set a prisoner free and then discover that the prisoner we set free was us.
Lewis Smedes
Forgiveness is Not:
Condoning the wrong done to you; Avoidance of consequences; Restoring to a position of trust (immediately); Reconciliation (necessarily); Forgetting
Reflect
1. What challenged you from this weekend's message?
2. What questions do you have?
3. Why is it difficult for you to forgive the people that have wronged you?
4. What does it feel like to hang onto a long-term hurt or grudge?
5. Who is God calling you to forgive in the days and weeks to come?
6. What can you do this week to take a step down the road to forgiveness?
Do
Read The Reason for God by Timothy Keller and The Art of Forgiving by Lewis Smedes