“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.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Your Gift Brings Hope to the World
Your Gift Matched to Help More People Experience the Hope of Jesus
Thank you for your generous gift today to help share God’s Word with people who are hurting, searching, or ready to grow in their faith.
As thanks for your gift, we’ll send you a copy of Choose Joy by Kay Warren.
This book helps you sink your roots deep into God’s love, strengthening your faith and steadying your hope.
So request yours when you give today. And thank you for your partnership!
*All gifts will be doubled up to the full amount of the grant. Thank you for your generous support!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of “current offer” materials you received from Daily Hope.
