Part 2, the follow-up post to last week’s Festering Bitterness.
Deep hurt can shape our lives for decades, producing trauma and harm. Sometimes we pay dearly for others’ mistakes. This is a common experience, for human history is filled with injustice—from the first murder to modern warfare, from slavery and human trafficking to mistreatment of the poor, the sick, and the young, harming generations.
We’re sinners, raised and surrounded by other broken people. We all hurt others. This is the norm. Simeon Zahl wrote: “Understanding sin as a universal human condition makes it possible to have both compassion on people and no easy expectation of change, without having to pretend that bad things are in fact good things.”
Thankfully, God is just, and he sees everything. When we trust him, this knowledge enables us to let offenses go. It also assures us that God will bring every wrong to account regarding us.
“The Bible is God’s book of justice. The whole thing is about God’s justice — about his ultimately making every wrong right and exhaustively settling every account of every moral agent, visible and invisible to us, that has ever perpetrated even the smallest injustice. Nothing will be missed” (Jon Bloom).
When we’re wronged, unless we remember God’s justice, letting go feels inherently unfair, niggling at our personal sense of rightness. Yet, we want others to forgive us and to let go of our offenses against them. Forgiveness is contrary to human nature. It requires us to trust God with our whole heart, not leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Forgiveness is contrary to human nature. It requires us to trust God with our whole heart, not leaning on our own understanding Click To TweetIn Christ, forgiveness has been granted to us. Therefore, we must reflect that forgiveness, forgiving as we’ve been forgiven. As we’re transformed into Christ’s image (2 Corinthians 3:16-18), we reflect his forbearance and forgiveness. We ask the Lord for the grace to forgive, and he gives it. This is the only way we can forgive.
Because Jesus came to carry our sins and to redeem us, horrific wrongs were committed against him. He knew the challenges beforehand, yet still, he came. Jesus was tortured and died for sins he didn’t commit, taking on our sin. He was falsely accused while being entirely innocent, yet Jesus entrusted himself to God. He provides our example and our healing, enabling us to forgive.
“For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:19-24 ESV).
So, like Jesus, how do we continue entrusting ourselves to him who judges justly?
Pray for faith, if it’s lacking. Lord, we believe. Help us in our unbelief. God will accomplish justice—he said he would, so we can act in faith, choosing not to hold onto the offense. Knowing this truth helps: The Lord “is working with a timetable toward this end that is long—and our lives are short. We may not see the justice needle move much during our time under the sun. That doesn’t at all mean God is not relentlessly moving toward the terrible, unfathomable destruction of evil” (Jon Bloom).
Cry out to the Lord for enablement to obey this process of spiritual growth: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:12-14 NIV).
With God’s help, stop rehearsing the offense. “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV).
Follow in Jesus’ steps by offering grace and forgiveness. Real and lasting justice is in God’s hands alone. Give it to the Lord. Let it go. “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:7b-8a ESV).
Trust him to help you to forgive. This is a lifetime challenge, for offenses against us never cease as long as we interact with other human beings. However, when we remember our own offenses against others and Christ’s undeserved mercy upon us nevertheless, his grace to forgive others is enlarged in our hearts.
Follow in Jesus’ steps by offering grace and forgiveness. Real and lasting justice is in God’s hands alone. Give it to the Lord. Let it go. Click To Tweet When we remember our own offenses against others and Christ's undeserved mercy upon us nevertheless, his grace to forgive others is enlarged in our hearts. Click To Tweet

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Beautiful, powerful and profound! Only God could perfectly meld both total justice and unending mercy. But that is what He does through the cross of Jesus Christ! Your examples of Christ’ perfection in the face of undeserved betrayal and punishment says it all. “He was falsely accused while being entirely innocent, yet Jesus entrusted himself to God. He provides our example and our healing, enabling us to forgive.” May we learn to entrust ourselves to the God who knows all, sees all and has been merciful to us, yet at the same time, He is a righteous and just Judge. He will repay rightly and we can rest in that, as we gaze again upon the cross, where justice and mercy stand forever.
This passage is such a bedrock for dealing with my reactions when I’ve been wronged, whether it’s resisting a harsh retort, or choosing to forgive and to let an offense go. Jesus perfectly modeled for us how to act and speak when we’ve treated wrongly or unjustly. This passage is a favorite of mine as a result, a go-to passage. I mine it deeply! Thanks for commenting, Melissa!
It’s hard to let go of things when we’ve been wronged, but we CAN do it. By crying out to God for help, He will give us with His supernatural powerful to forgive. Thanks for this.
Yes, he can! Only he can do it! Thanks for commenting, Jessica!
Your words are beautiful. This has been my experience. A lot of depth here.
Thank you, Candace! God bless you in your own journey, sister!
Forgiveness sometimes seems like a battle between human vengeance/self-preservation and logic. You Made it relatable with the example of Jesus and the passage from 1 Peter (great reference). God’s justice is an important point because there is no way a person can make up for an offense. Forgiveness always needs to come alongside any recompense, and, without it, we hold something over the offender, similar to bullying. Thank you for this necessary encouragement and challenge.
Thank you for this in-depth analysis of all that’s going on when we undertake the challenge of forgiveness. There are so many layers, and without Jesus’ example and the promise of God’s justice we’re lost.
Thank you. God has been impressing on me to forgive my best friend’s murderer. It is the most difficult thing he has ever asked of me. But he forgave me and will give me strength.
That IS a challenge, Candice, a big one. Jesus’ model paves the way for us. He even asked the Father to forgive his murderers as they committed the act. I pray for the grace of God to be poured out on you, sister, as you walk through this process. I discussed more about this last week in case you’re interested. God bless you! I’m praying for you now.
Forgiveness. I am pausing and thinking about how God forgives me and how I should forgive others.
That’s the challenge before us all! Thanks for stopping by to comment!
A thoughtful and important reminder to forgive those who have wronged you. Just as important and more difficult to do, ask God to forgive you for causing hurt and pain to others. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for stopping by to comment, Claudio! These are essential truths.
Good words here, Melinda! I remember when I truly understood what it means that God says, “Vengeance is mine.” I do not have to craft a way for people to see what they have done or are doing – God will take care of that. Our faith is the healer in forgiveness! Thanks for this solid reminder.
Beth, thanks for your comments. I agree! God’s justice and our confidence is him — our faith — is such an essential part of forgiveness!
I love the Simeon Zahl quote. This post shows that forgiveness is often not just an instant word that’s not really our heart. It can be a process. We often have to work through this process to get to authentic forgiveness. The kind that lasts. Great post.
Simeon Zahl’s entire piece is so revelatory of the human condition. When we consider the humanity of ourselves and of others, it becomes quite clear that forgiving and being forgiven will be repeated numerous times in our lives. Thanks for commenting on this, Nancy!
Yes, yes, yes! What a powerful and actionable post. Thank you for blending the theory with the practice. This is a post every Christian needs to read.
Thanks, Stephanie! We all offend, and we all need to forgive – definitely applicable!
It makes so much sense how you use the verse “lean not on your own understanding” to describe forgiveness. That’s one thing I struggle with – but HOW do I forgive? I’ve been trying to understand it instead of trusting God can work through me to help me forgive. Thank you for this enlightenment!
When we put our confidence in the Lord and what he says about forgiveness, rather than our own emotions and judgment, and we choose not to rehearse the offenses of the other, we lay the foundation for forgiveness. Asking the Lord for the ability to do this, to let it go, and to obey him then provides fertile soil for the Lord to do the work. The Holy Spirit works, and we complete the process as often as required.
Another helpful post and part 2 on forgiveness, Melinda. Always appreciate your willingness to tackle these issues and bring the light of God’s Word into hard, dark areas. Because forgiving and letting go is a lifetime challenge. We are all repeat offenders. Yet, when we keep in mind how God extends AND repeats His forgiveness to us, it helps us draw from His great mercy to extend forgiveness over and over.
Exactly! We sin daily, and the Lord forgives continually. That model, that impossible grace-filled model, is the standard. Only he can do it, and he invites us into the process of letting go of ourselves. He modeled that by going to the cross, so he could pay for our crimes, offenses he never committed himself. It’s a high calling, one we’ll strive for and only achieve by his grace for all of our lives. We have to pick these things apart, otherwise we can’t get at the essence of who he is and what he has done for us. Lifetime work, for we’re so very human, and it can never be done without his help.
Stop rehearsing the offense! Yes, this is the hardest part for me as my mind obsesses on it, yet grace and forgiveness can flourish when my heart and mind are free. Blessings to you, Melinda!
It’s so easy to rehearse! Even to emotionally remain in that wounded place as a way of obsessing on it. We’re crafty, and can deceive ourselves into thinking we’re forgiving when we’re not. I hear you. I’m the same.
Melinda, I love how you applied forgiveness with Proverbs 3:5-6. SO much truth in your words!
That passage in Proverbs is one of the most powerfully essential truths in Scripture! Thanks for commenting, Jeanne!
Thank you Melinda. I must remember to think of all the forgiveness and grace I have received and offer the same to others
The grace God has extended to us reminds of that others are as needy as we. We’re all sinners in need of forgiveness.