The Bible tells us that God is the source of all forgiveness and that he has lavished his love upon us (1 John 4:7-10). As Christians, we must strive to emulate Christ in our own lives and forgive those who have wronged us. At the same time, Jesus knows the difficulties, hurt, and pain humans cause one another. Especially by family members and people who we thought we could trust but ended differently. Christ knows the pain of betrayal and how important it is for us to forgive.

Still, this is not always easy, but it is necessary to keep our hearts free from the bitterness and resentment that can plague our well-being. Jesus commands us to forgive as he has forgiven us: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). We can also take comfort in Psalm 103:12, which states, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” As followers of Christ, we must keep our hearts open to forgiveness and do our best to forgive as Jesus has forgiven us. Here are ten scriptures on forgiveness and a few helpful tips to begin your healing journey.

1. Matthew 6:14-15 – “If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
2. Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
3. Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
4. 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
5. Psalm 86:5 – “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”
6. Psalm 103:12 – “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
7. Isaiah 43:25 – “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”
8. Luke 17:3-4 – “So watch yourselves. ‘If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
9. Matthew 18:21-22 – “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.’”
10. Proverbs 17:9 – “Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”

Always remember who forgives us first; if Jesus didn’t forgive me, I would not be here to share in the joys of Christ and my family. How about you?

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Simple Tips To Practice

1. Pray for forgiveness and guidance. Prayer is a powerful way to connect with God and ask for His help forgiving.
2. Reflect on what you must gain by forgiving and how everyone benefits from the love. Remember, God’s approval is all we need and living obediently and with forgiveness can be a freeing and empowering experience. It’s time to move forward with your life.
3. Speak to Jesus daily and learn to accept and trust Him as Father and friend. Christ understands how we feel while knowing that feelings can also be misleading. Jesus promises to help us through the process of forgiveness. It’s the time!
4. Acknowledge and accept your feelings. Don’t try to suppress or ignore your emotions. Instead, be in tune with them and take control of them. Stop allowing your feelings to control you.
5. Practice self-compassion. Please acknowledge that you are only human, and so are the people you need to forgive. We make mistakes, and as Christians, it’s important to remember that forgiveness is an act of love. Please read your Bible, and live God’s word.

That’s all for now.

Sister Christine

C. Brejcha ©️