Forgiveness Is Beneficial

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
–Ephesians 1:7

Probably the best reason to forgive others unconditionally is not because of what it does for your offender but because of what it does for you.

Have you ever run a three-legged race? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, in a three-legged race, you stand next to your partner, and your leg is bound to their leg. When the gun goes off, you and your partner hobble together toward the finish line. You think, If only I could get free from this person, then I could run a lot faster and a lot farther! But three-legged races don’t allow for solo contenders. You are bound to the person next to you. You can travel no faster and no farther than that person travels with you.

When you refuse to let go of a wrong committed against you, it’s like you’re binding yourself to your offender. You can go no farther and no faster in life than your offender is willing to travel. Your well-being depends on what your offender chooses to do.

Forgiveness is the procedure God has designed for us to free ourselves from people who hurt us. When we forgive somebody, we’re saying, “God, You know that what this person did to me was wrong. You know that my offender deserves to suffer for what they did. But I don’t want to be bound to that person any longer. Today, I’m letting go. I’m going to let You or somebody else settle the score with my offender so that I can be free to get on with my life.”

You might say, “Isn’t that a self-serving reason to forgive?” You bet it is. And it’s also a God-serving reason to forgive. Hebrews 12:1 urges us to “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and . . . run with endurance the race that is set before us.” You and I are in a race called the Christian life. We have a goal–“the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14)–but as long as we’re bound to the people who’ve hurt us, we will never be able to run with endurance the race God has designed for us. Forgiveness allows you to separate yourself from your offender so that you can move forward in God’s plan for your life.

Today’s devotion is adapted from “Forgiving Sorry People Who Aren’t Sorry,” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2015.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.