Forgiveness helps the healing process when we have been hurt. Read Isaiah 53:3-5. Forgiveness does not dismiss the wrong that has been committed. Forgiveness realizes the difference between hurtful actions and actions within a person’s rights. If I offer someone coffee and a piece of homemade pie and they decline, they are not hurting me with actions or words, although I may be disappointed that they did not accept my offer. Forgiveness is not needed in this case. However, if the person takes the tea and throws it in my face, smashes the glass on the floor, and adds verbal insults, then harm has been done. Forgiveness first recognizes the words or actions and calls them wrong and hurtful. The bigger the hurt, the deeper the wound. The power of forgiveness provides a path for healing the inner soul that has been wounded. According to 1 Peter 3:18, Jesus died on the cross to bring us into a right relationship with God. We often focus on Jesus dying for our sins, but we can’t forget that in Isaiah 53, we have another reason Jesus died on the cross. That was to heal our hurts. Jesus forgives us of our sins, and we, in turn, forgive one another. We don’t forgive as a way to diminish the wrong that has been done. We forgive as a step toward personal healing and a step that opens the door for reconciliation. If you refuse to forgive, then you are refusing to allow God to heal you of your hurts.

Awesome God, heal our hurts through forgiveness. When we don’t have the strength to forgive, we need you to help us. Help us to forgive those who have hurt me just as you have forgiven me of the hurts that I have caused. Amen.