God’s Healing Justice

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Romans 12:19

Forgiveness is a gift God gives us to free us. It’s a powerful tool to free our own hearts.

For years I thought that forgiving meant I was letting my abusers off the hook or approving of their actions. But my refusal to forgive them was only hurting me. My failure to forgive wasn’t affecting them at all! That’s why the old saying goes that failing to forgive is like ingesting poison and expecting the other person to die.

Unforgiveness harms only you, and the damage can be considerable. Unforgiveness can affect you emotionally, psychologically, physically, and even spiritually. It keeps you stunted, isolated and alone, and bitter. That’s not the way your loving Creator intended for you to live. For your own good, freedom, and healing, Jesus said, forgive the person who keeps sinning against you, even if you have to do it again and again (Matthew 18:22). God’s justice is more powerful than any amount of your anger could be. Forgive, because Jesus has forgiven you. When you do, you’ll experience the freedom Jesus provided for you.

Lord, You have forgiven me of so much. Thank You. Now I freely extend that forgiveness to others—even those who have hurt me deeply.