Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, who spoke at his memorial service on Sunday, September 21, 2025, through unimaginable pain, chose to forgive the young man who took her husband’s life. She pointed to the words of Jesus on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34
I am in awe of her courage and the grace it takes to forgive in the midst of such deep sorrow. It reminds me that forgiveness isn’t a feeling. It’s a choice rooted in Christ. And when we forgive, we’re not saying the wrong doesn’t matter. We’re releasing the burden from our own shoulders and placing it into the hands of a just and holy God. He sees. He knows. And He alone will judge rightly.
If Erika Kirk can forgive the man who murdered her husband, who will you forgive today?
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
IT Is a prayer asking God the Father to forgive those crucifying Jesus.
Forgiveness is always conditional on repentance.
One can always forgive an offender, but that is a personal choice and one that should not be forced upon other Christians.
How should one respond to an offender.
One should ideally tell the offender that they have offended, if they won’t then one prays for them, for oneself, that God will deal with everyone’s emotions, their feelings about the incident, their attitude to the offender and that the offender will turn to God.
