Forgive Them? – Total Forgiveness Ch 1

One must totally forgive those who will not be reconciled. It must happen in the heart, and when it does, peace emerges – with or without a complete restoration of the relationship. What matters is that the Holy Spirit is able to dwell in us ungrieved, able to be utterly Himself.

Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

Luke 23:34

We all have a story to tell. You may think it is impossible to forgive your unfaithful spouse. You may feel you cannot forgive an abusive parent. You may feel you cannot forgive what was done to your child. How can we forbive the church leader who took advantage of his position? What about the person who lied to us or about us or the person who believed those lies? The list of potential offenses is endless. There are rapists out there. Child abusers. Murders. Often closer to home, there are unkind or unloving relatives and former close friends who have become enemies.

Forgiving Those Who Have Hurt Our Loved Ones

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The Ultimate Proof of Total Forgiveness

The ultimate proof of total forgiveness takes place when we sincerely petition the Father to let those who have hurt us off the hook – even if they have hurt not only us, but also those close to us.

What impresses the world most is changed lives for which there is no natural explanation.

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The Motivation to Forgive Can Have a Natural Explanation

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Our Mandate is to Forgive

Totally forgiving someone doesn’t necessarily mean we will want to spend our vacation with them, but it does mean that we release the bitterness in our hearts concerning what they have done.

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When We Should Speak of the Grievance

Total forgiveness does not mean closing our eyes to those who will continue to harm others.