Overwhelming Forgiveness

A Gallup Poll once found that 94 percent of Americans would like to be forgiving. But 85 percent felt that they could not be forgiving by themselves; in order to forgive, they needed help from God or something outside themselves. Why do most people find it so hard to forgive? Maybe it has something to do with pride. If someone has wounded our feelings, it doesn’t seem fair to forgive them quickly and easily. Let them suffer guilt, let them grovel … then maybe we’ll consider it.

Aren’t we glad God doesn’t treat us that way when we do something wrong? According to Psalm 103, He doesn’t deal with us or punish us in the way our sins deserve. It says His mercy is as high as the heavens! As soon as we ask for forgiveness from Him, He graciously removes our sins “as far as the east is from the west” (v. 12).

Jesus said, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25). The Bible is plain on the subject: We can’t be forgiven unless we are willing to forgive.

Recognizing the undeserved, overwhelming forgiveness we receive every day from God should spark deep gratitude in our hearts and make it easier to extend forgiveness to those who have offended us. If we ask Him, God will give us the power to forgive others.