The Power of Unconditional Forgiveness
There are so many ways we can hurt each other. Sometimes, it feels impossible to move past an offense and find forgiveness. Forgiveness seems so abstract, almost like something you read about but not something you’d do in real life. Finding the strength to forgive feels impossible at times, but it’s also one of the greatest acts of kindness you can give another person. Unconditional forgiveness means that even when someone has hurt you deeply, you actively choose to forgive them instead of holding on to bitterness or resentment. It’s a challenging way of thinking, but one that will likely change your life for the better once you practice it. These Bible verses about unconditional forgiveness will help you see how beneficial it is for your soul:
Romans 12:21
Never let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.
The first thing to understand about forgiveness is that it isn’t about the other person. You’re not forgiving someone out of pity or to make them feel better. You’re forgiving them because it’s in your best interest. Holding onto resentment and anger towards another person will make you bitter and keep you stuck in the past. It’s impossible to move forward when you’re constantly dwelling on the bad things that have happened to you. Forgiveness isn’t just about letting go of the past, it’s also about letting go of the future. You’ll be able to find joy and fulfillment in your life once you’ve cut the ties that are holding you back. Forgiveness isn’t an easy or quick process, though, and it takes work: You need to make the effort to see the situation from the other person’s point of view and be willing to accept their apology, even if you don’t think they deserve it. Once you’ve done this, forgiveness will become much easier.
Matthew 18:21-22
Later Peter approached Jesus and said, “How many times do I have to forgive my fellow believer who keeps offending me? Seven times?” Jesus answered, “Not seven times, Peter, but seventy times seven times!
Another important thing to remember when trying to forgive someone is that you aren’t responsible for the other person’s actions. You can’t control someone else’s thoughts or feelings, and you can’t force them to apologize or change their behavior. All you can do is forgive them and let go of the resentment you’ve been holding on to. You can’t control what happens in the future and you can’t force someone to change their behavior, but you do have control over how you react to what happens. Let go of the resentment you’ve been feeling towards the other person, and you’ll feel lighter and freer. You’ll also be able to prevent yourself from falling into the same patterns of resentment and anger you’ve been stuck in before, which will likely make you healthier and happier as time goes on.
Hebrews 12:15
Watch over each other to make sure that no one misses the revelation of God’s grace. And make sure no one lives with a root of bitterness sprouting within them which will only cause trouble and poison the hearts of many.
Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person gets sick. It’s a harmful way of thinking that will only hurt you in the long run. Instead of being stuck in the past, you can use what happened as a learning experience and prevent it from happening again in the future. Let go of the anger and resentment you’ve been holding on to, and you’ll be able to see the good that came out of the situation. You’ll be able to use the experience to understand yourself better and what you want from life. You may also be able to repair the relationship that was damaged or lost as a result of the offense. While forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to be their friend, it does mean you can try to put an end to the feud you’ve been in.
1 Corinthians 13:6
Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong.
Another important thing to remember when forgiving someone is that the other person isn’t the only one who benefits. You’ll likely feel a great deal of relief and joy once you’ve forgiven someone, even if they don’t know you’ve done so. Letting go of the anger and resentment you’ve been holding on to will make you feel better in the moment and healthier as time goes on. It’s also an incredibly selfless act, which will likely lead to more benefits down the line. People are more likely to trust you and want to be your friend if you’re kind and forgiving, which can lead to new opportunities or stronger connections with current friends and family members. Forgiveness doesn’t come easily for many people, but it’s a skill that can be learned. You may not be able to forgive someone on the first try, but keep practicing, and you’ll get there.
2 Corinthians 2:7
Instead of more punishment, what he needs most is your encouragement through your gracious display of forgiveness.
Forgiveness does not mean you have to pretend the other person didn’t do anything wrong. You do not have to say that the offensive action was perfectly fine or that you don’t mind that it happened. You can still acknowledge that the action was wrong while also forgiving the person who committed it. Forgiveness means that you actively choose not to hold onto resentment and bitterness, even though the other person wronged you. It’s an incredibly difficult and challenging way of thinking, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. You’ll feel more light and free, and you may even be able to repair the relationship you had with the other person before they hurt you.
Ephesians 4:32
But instead be kind and affectionate toward one another. Has God graciously forgiven you? Then graciously forgive one another in the depths of Christ’s love.
Forgiveness is a choice. It doesn’t happen automatically the moment you make the decision to forgive someone. You’ll likely find yourself falling back into old patterns of resentment and anger, especially if you’re around the other person often. If you want to forgive someone, you need to avoid them actively. It may feel like a radical thing to do, but it’s the only way you can truly let go of the resentment you’ve been holding on to. Let go of the anger and resentment you’ve been feeling towards another person, and you’ll feel lighter and freer. Letting go of resentment may be difficult, but it’s worth it in the long run.
Colossians 3:13
Tolerate the weaknesses of those in the family of faith, forgiving one another in the same way you have been graciously forgiven by Jesus Christ. If you find fault with someone, release this same gift of forgiveness to them.
Forgiveness is a gift you can give yourself. It doesn’t matter what the other person has done; you still have the power to forgive them. Letting go of resentment and anger will likely benefit the other person as well, but that’s not your job. Your job is to be happy and healthy, and forgiving someone is the best way to do that. Forgiveness is an incredibly selfless and powerful thing to do. It can change your life and help you become the person you want to be.
1 John 4:7-11
Those who are loved by God, let his love continually pour from you to one another, because God is love. Everyone who loves is fathered by God and experiences an intimate knowledge of him. The one who doesn’t love has yet to know God, for God is love. The light of God’s love shined within us when he sent his matchless Son into the world so that we might live through him. This is love: He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins. Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then “loving one another” should be our way of life!
Forgiveness isn’t something you do for the other person; it’s something you do for yourself. You don’t have to apologize for feeling angry or resentful towards someone who has hurt you. It’s natural and healthy to feel that way. The important thing is what you do with those emotions. You can choose to let go of the anger and resentment, or you can choose to let it eat you up from the inside out. You can forgive someone and still protect yourself from them. You can choose to avoid the person who hurt you and keep yourself safe while also letting go of the anger and resentment. It doesn’t have to be a choice between the two. You can actively let go of resentment without cutting the person out of your life completely.
Takeaway
Forgiveness might seem like a magical solution to all of your problems, but it’s actually a decision. You can decide to let go of resentment and anger towards another person, even if they don’t deserve it. You can decide to actively be kind and forgiving even though you may feel like you’ve been wronged. Forgiveness isn’t easy, but it’s worth it in the long run. It’s a powerful way to let go of the past, become a better version of yourself, and even help the people you forgive in the process.
