Practicing forgiveness is one of the most powerful lessons in the Bible. So much so that God offers his forgiveness to you as often as necessary. As stated in Mark 11:25-26, a practicing Christian must forgive as God forgives.
It's very difficult to be a truly exemplary Christian, like Jesus Christ. It's impossible to live without committing sins against biblical precepts. God knows this and grants his forgiveness once you repent.
In this sense, we need to forgive other people too. There are some very difficult situations that seem impossible to forgive. This is the case of a betrayal in marriage, being the victim of a crime or even conflicts with loved ones.
However, forgiveness is recommended for every practicing Christian. It may not be an easy task or a comfortable process, but it brings relief to your conscience, leaving you free from harmful thoughts and feelings, being obedient to God, according to His instructions.
Why forgive?
You must forgive because you are forgiven by God every time you commit a sin. To be a true Christian, you have to make an effort to follow the precepts of the Bible.
According to Matthew 6:4, God grants forgiveness only to those who also forgive other people. Furthermore, in Mark 11:25, it is shown that God offers forgiveness for most sins.
Since you were created in His image and likeness, the best way is to follow His instructions to ensure your salvation and good Christian conduct.
In this sense, Jesus Christ is still important in making you understand that it is fundamental to forgive, according to Christian precepts. Jesus Christ lived a full life, in harmony with God and free from sin.
However, he gave his own life so that you could be forgiven of your sins and have the chance to follow his teachings to ensure your salvation.
What is forgiveness?
According to Ephesians 2:13, to forgive is to allow the person who needs forgiveness to come closer to you. However, this requires further explanation.
Forgiveness means accepting the other person's regret. However, there are situations in life where the other person doesn't ask for forgiveness or isn't sorry.
You should forgive anyway. This doesn't just bring benefits to the other person, as a way of undoing a mistake, for example. It benefits you, as a true, practicing Christian.
This is because forgiving is one of God's instructions. It also guarantees that you will be forgiven by God as many times as necessary. This is very important in your life, since it is difficult to live without committing sins.
How do you forgive someone?
Forgiveness, contrary to what many people may think, doesn't mean forgetting an offense. Forgiveness is a process, which can be slow, depending on the conflict. However, forgiveness is necessary for your liberation.
You have to live free of toxic thoughts and feelings. You can't avoid entering into the process of forgiveness as a true Christian. That's because this is God's instruction to you. This may not be comfortable or even painful.
However, you have to go through this process, forgive and let go (without dwelling on negative feelings and thoughts about the situation) in order to live a life of fullness and connection with Christian precepts.
How many times should you forgive the same person?
Once you have the necessary tools for the forgiveness process, how many times do you have to forgive the same person, according to the Bible? According to Matthew 18:21-23, you have to forgive "up to seventy times seven".
However, this should not be taken literally. In this sense, you have to forgive a person as many times as necessary, since God will forgive you in the same way.
How can forgiveness benefit you?
Forgiveness, coming from the heart, without harboring any negative feelings, is one of the lessons left in the Bible that you should put into practice. It's very good for you.
By always forgiving, you also practice love for others. What's more, you keep God above all else, since you will exercise His teaching to the full, as a truly practicing Christian.
In this sense, forgiveness is a way of relieving you of negative feelings and thoughts, making you peaceful and full of love for others.
With a lot of faith and positivity, she writes for Pray and Faith, bringing messages and Divine teachings to everyone.