A Prayer for Forgiving Others

A Prayer for Forgiving Others

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“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.” -C.S. Lewis

While I’m grateful to serve a God who is rich in mercy… extending that same grace to others can be a painful process. Particularly when the hurt they’ve caused– intentionally or not– is deep. Or, if this isn’t the first time they’ve needed forgiveness. And, sometimes, we thought we *did* forgive someone, but each time the memory resurfaces, the anger begins to feel fresh.

Disclaimer: Forgiveness doesn’t equate forgetting. We learn from the past, and there are times when healthy, loving boundaries need to be established between you and another. However, without granting true forgiveness, we tend to fall into resentment, which can cause our own hearts to fester and sour.

So, what’s it mean to forgive? Making a deliberate decision to show genuine love and to will another’s good (yep, definitely need the Spirit’s help for this one).

“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’” (Matthew 18:21-22).

As someone who knows what it feels like to be betrayed, Jesus GETS it. When he calls us to show mercy, we’re being asked to become more like him. And, sometimes, that’s gonna mean forgiving again. And again. Even when it seems “undeserved.”