What Forgiveness is and How to Forgive
Giving and receiving forgiveness God's way is the only way to truly be free. But then, why is it so difficult to forgive others? The parable of the king who forgave a large debt owed by one of his servants provides a profound illustration of what forgiveness is and how forgiveness happens. The story of the unforgiving servant reminds us that what others owe us is nothing compared to what we owe God. The secret to being able to offer others forgiveness is that we must first receive forgiveness from God. We then pass on the forgiveness of God to others as we engage in daily relationships.
We are all, in this life, both victims and perpetrators. We have all been hurt by others and we have all hurt others. Good works cannot pay back bad works. We need a better solution to resolve hurt and broken relationships as a result of the bad perpetrated against us and the bad we perpetrate against others. This is where forgiveness becomes essential. When we choose to forgive others we are simply passing on the kindness and release that God has first given to us. Herein lies the secret to effective forgiveness. Forgiveness is not an experience that we must conjure within ourselves by our own strength. Instead we recognise that we forgive others as God has first forgiven us. In other words, the forgiveness we pass on to others is the forgiveness of God that flows into us. Freely we have received forgiveness and freely we are called to give forgiveness. The starting point for our willingness and ability to forgive is the awareness of the insurmountable debt that we owe to God and His great compassion in forgiving us that debt. You and I are not asked to do anything for others that God has not first done for us. Forgive others like God has forgiven you! Forgiveness is a free gift given to us by God. Yet, while forgiveness is free to us, the cost of forgiveness was very high to God. Our forgiveness only comes through Jesus who absorbed that cost in His own being on the cross. So too, in order to truly forgive others it will require our willingness to absorb the loss and pain that has been directed toward us while at the same time we relinquish the desire to get even.
This video was produced in partnership with Hope Channel New Zealand and originally aired on television under the title "More than a Story: The Forgiveness Tug of War" (episode 15 of 24).
