Forgiveness is a crucial cornerstone of Christianity, but it is not easy to live out in our everyday lives. This article gives us three encouraging things to consider when struggling with forgiveness. It could be we are having a hard time forgiving ourselves, or someone else. I hope you find this as helpful as I did!
What is the hardest part of forgiveness for you?
I find it hard to forgive myself.
Lysa Terkuerst has written a book Forgiving What you Can’t Forget. There’s a lot of personal stuff, a lot of Scripture used and the information is very practical. She deals with hardcore issues.
The book really helped me.
You have such a hard time forgiving yourself because you can’t forgive yourself.
Actually that’s not true…. I can forgive myself. Sometimes it’s really hard.
It is hard and takes some exhausting emotional work. Give yourself patience and time.
Forgiveness is something I struggle with, especially when it comes to forgiving myself. I often hold onto past mistakes, and one time I had a heated argument with a close friend where I said things I deeply regretted. Apologizing was hard, but forgiving myself felt even tougher.
(Ephesians 4:32) reminds us to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” This resonates with me because it emphasizes that forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves and others.
Remembering God’s grace helps me realize that if He can forgive me, I can learn to forgive myself. It’s an ongoing journey, but recognizing my own imperfections makes it a bit easier to extend that grace.
