“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).
God calls us to forgive others, but how do we do that? Here are four ways to help you let go of your pain, hurt, and bitterness.
Recognize that no one is perfect. When we’ve been hurt, we tend to lose our perspective about the person who offended us. But we need to remember that we are all imperfect people. Colossians 3:13 says, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT).
Relinquish your right to get even. Trust God to confront the person who hurt you and trust him to work things out for you. Choose compassion over your desire to retaliate. The Bible says, “Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it”” (Romans 12:19 The Message).
Respond to evil with good. Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (NIV). Getting even only brings you down to the other person’s level. Take the high road instead. The Bible says to treat your enemies with kindness. It’s nearly impossible to do this on your own. That’s why you need the love of Jesus to fill you up.
Refocus on God’s plan for your life. When you are focused on the people who hurt you, you’re actually letting them control your life. When you forgive them, you find the freedom to refocus on God’s purpose for your life. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you” (NLT).
Don’t go another day with resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness in your heart. Start practicing these four choices and move on to live the life God created you to live.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Your Gift Brings Hope to the World
God has dreams for your life!
In Pastor Rick’s book "Created to Dream: The 6 Phases God Uses to Grow Your Faith," you’ll learn how to discover God’s custom-made dream for your life—a dream that is bigger and better than anything you could ever dream up on your own! And you’ll find practical help for navigating challenges, delays, and detours that stand in your way.
We’d love to send you a copy as our way of saying thank you for your generous gift below to help take the hope of Jesus to more people through Daily Hope.
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 materials you received from Daily Hope.
