☕ Food for Thought: FORGIVING OTHERS ❤️

2 days ago

2 min read

Good morning, family and friends!

As I sit here with my morning coffee and God’s Word, forgiveness is on my heart.

Y’all, forgiveness can be HARD.

It’s easy to say, “I forgive you,” but sometimes our heart is still hurting. Sometimes we have to go back to God over and over and say:

“Lord, I’m still struggling with this. Please help me truly let it go.”

And I want to remind somebody this morning:

FORGIVING DOESN’T MEAN WHAT HAPPENED WAS OKAY.

It doesn’t mean the hurt wasn’t real.

It doesn’t mean we pretend it never happened.

And forgiveness doesn’t always mean restoring a relationship or removing healthy boundaries.

It means we stop allowing what someone did to keep controlling our heart.

Jesus said:

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:” — Matthew 6:14 KJV

Peter once asked Jesus how many times he should forgive. Seven times?

Jesus answered:

“I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” — Matthew 18:22 KJV

Jesus wasn’t telling Peter to keep count until he reached 490. He was teaching us that forgiveness needs to become part of our walk with Him.

And friend, I know some wounds run DEEP.

There are hurts we talk about, and there are hurts buried so deeply that nobody knows about them except us and God.

But holding onto unforgiveness doesn’t change what happened yesterday.

Sometimes it simply allows yesterday to keep hurting us TODAY.

And sometimes the person we need to forgive is OURSELVES.

Maybe you made mistakes.

Maybe you said things you wish you could take back.

Maybe there are decisions in your past you would make differently today.

But if you have sincerely repented and placed those things under the blood of Jesus, stop going back and picking them up!

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins...” — 1 John 1:9 KJV

If God has forgiven you, quit allowing the enemy to keep reminding you of something Jesus has already forgiven.

GOD’S GRACE IS BIGGER THAN YOUR PAST. ❤️

And when forgiving someone else feels impossible, start with prayer.

You may have to pray:

“Lord, I don’t even know HOW to forgive this person. Please help me.”

And that’s a prayer God can work with.

Sometimes you may even have to ask:

“Lord, help me WANT to forgive.”

You don’t have to heal your heart by yourself.

God can soften what has become hard.

God can heal what has been wounded.

And God can help us release what we’ve carried far too long.

🙏 Lord, search my heart today. If I’m carrying unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, guilt, or shame, help me place it in Your hands. Give me grace to forgive those who have hurt me and wisdom to maintain boundaries where they are needed. And Lord, when You have forgiven me, help me forgive myself. Replace bitterness with peace, anger with grace, and hurt with healing. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen. ❤️

🌿 Here’s my Food for Thought today: