1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In Psalm 103, we’re promised, “As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.” God’s forgiveness is a beautiful thing, isn’t it? We mess up… God forgives! He even put it in writing that we would mess up. Ecclesiastes 7:20 tells us “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” These verses really boost me when I’m feeling remorse for something I’ve said or done. Sin catches us off guard, and we fall into its trap. Sin can also be calculated and intentional, without regard for consequences. I’ve been guilty of both!
Matthew 18:21-22 tells us, “Then Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’ I like this scripture when I think about God forgiving me for my transgressions. But when it applies to me forgiving others, that number seems high!
Let’s think about why Jesus wants us to forgive. Whether it’s an argument with your spouse or an unresolved issue with a family member or friend, conflicts can go deeper than we may realize. They may be affecting our emotional, mental, and physical health. On the bright side, we know that forgiveness can reap benefits for our health, lowering heart attack risk, improving sleep, improving cholesterol levels, and reducing pain, blood pressure, and stress levels.
“There is an enormous physical burden to being hurt and disappointed,” says Karen Swartz, M.D., director of the Mood Disorders Adult Consultation Clinic at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. “Chronic anger puts one into a fight-or-flight mode, which results in numerous changes in heart rate, blood pressure and immune response. Those changes, then, increase the risk of depression, heart disease and diabetes, among other conditions. Forgiveness, however, calms stress levels, leading to improved health.
“Forgiveness is not just about saying the words. It is an active process in which you make a conscious decision to let go of negative feelings, whether the person deserves it or not. As you release the anger, resentment, and hostility, you begin to feel empathy, compassion, and sometimes even affection for the person who wronged you.”
Jesus taught forgiveness, because it’s the right thing to do! How do we forgive someone who has hurt us deeply? There’s only one way; the greatest impossibilities of life can be made possible by the power and love of God.
Susan Easttom, Director of Children’s Ministry
