Some of the difficulty in forgiving comes from misunderstanding what forgiveness is and what it is not. 

Last week, we considered the idea that forgiveness is the act of releasing someone from the debt they owe us for a hurt they caused. At the same time, we release ourselves from the sense of being owed.

Too often, we think that forgiveness requires us to act as though nothing happened. But forgiveness does not erase the harm done. The hurts inflicted on us are real, the pain they create is real, and they leave a lasting impact. To pretend that the hurt never happened not only ignores the truth, it can also cause painful psychological conflict within us.  

Just as we are required to acknowledge our own sins, the harm that one person causes another must also be recognized.  Through the blood of Jesus, God the Father released us from the debt we owe for our original sin—a debt we could never pay, anyway. 

When we forgive, we do not overlook what happened. Rather, we try to act like God. The forgiveness we receive from Him is infinite, and so the forgiveness we give must be complete.  

This week, let us acknowledge a harm done to us, then release ourselves from the belief that we are owed something in return.