Forgiveness That Heals

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV

A Spanish father and son had become estranged after years of fighting. The son ran away, and the father set out to find him. He searched for months to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read, “Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your father.” On Saturday, eight hundred Pacos showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers.

People are not perfect. That is why God sent His Son to earth—to forgive us of our sins. But forgiveness doesn’t stop there; it is just the beginning. Matthew 6:14 says, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (NIV). The act of forgiveness is not easy, but the Bible calls us to put aside our pride and forgive one another.

Is there someone in your life who needs your forgiveness? Is there a family member or friend who needs to forgive you? There is no better time than right now to make those relationships right.