Road to Forgiveness... First, Recognize Your Part in the Hurt

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.

Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others”

(Colossians 3:13, NLT).

It is rare for a broken relationship ever to be 100% the fault of one party. This we must remember and understand. This is an important, very important way in which divine forgiveness differs from human forgiveness. In divine forgiveness, God doesn’t need to ask for forgiveness from us. God, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, has done nothing wrong. He is not to blame for even the smallest part of the hurt. We need to ask forgiveness from Him. For every sin that we committed, even toward one another, is against Him (P.s: Do you want to know this God? Come and see Jesus).

However, in human forgiveness, when hurts are felt or damage is done or a relationship is broken, both parties have usually contributed to the fault – even if one of them is more to blame than the other. Everytime when a broken relationship occurs, you and I are probably partly to blame (if not most of it!).

When my relationship with other broke up and I don’t realize my immediate faults against him or her, I will take time to pause, think and pray about it. Almost always God will instantly show me my part in the hurt. I further asking myself in what way I was to blame for the cause of the damage. This process requires me to humble myself and be sensitive with God’s still small voice. Admittedly, it’s hard and not in my sinful nature to do so, but Jesus’ forgiveness Spirit is with me. Jesus enables me to ask for forgiveness and to forgive other.

Sometimes we’re unable to forgive the other person because we can’t face up to our partial responsibility for the hurt. It’s easier to blame the other person and seek sympathy from friends and family than to recognize our own role in the breakdown. We need to face up our part in the hurt. We need to recognize our own fault. We need to seek forgiveness and forgive others. Forgiveness is effective and relationships are healed when we can face up to our part in the mess… however small it may be.

“Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.