Today’s Faith: 3 Ways To Forgive Someone Who Hurt You
Today’s Faith requires you to forgive someone who hurt you. Today we travel to a moment in Scripture where Jesus reminds us that forgiveness is not optional, but essential.
When someone wounds you, it can feel like they’ve carved a scar into your soul. Every time you see their face, hear their name, or remember what happened, that wound flares up again. Your emotions rise, your defenses lock in, and everything in you says, “They don’t deserve forgiveness.” But here’s the truth: Neither did you when God forgave you.
Forgiveness is not just about letting go of the hurt; it’s about setting yourself free from the control of the person who caused it. If you refuse to forgive someone who hurt you, you’re giving them space in your heart that belongs to God. That’s like letting a thief rent a room in your house while you pay the bills. Forgiveness evicts them and invites God’s peace to move in.
Forgiveness Is God’s Kind of Freedom
When you forgive someone who hurt you, you are stepping into a divine kind of freedom. This is not weakness; this is strength under the control of the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness doesn’t erase the offense, it hands the offense over to the only Judge who can settle the score righteously.
A lack of forgiveness is like a spiritual cancer. It eats at your joy, your peace, and your fellowship with God. That’s why Jesus didn’t put a limit on forgiveness. In Matthew 18:21-22, when Peter asked how many times to forgive, Jesus basically said, “Don’t count.” Why? Because God doesn’t count when He forgives you.
Why Forgiving Someone Who Hurt You Matters
Refusing to forgive someone who hurt you blocks the flow of God’s grace in your life. Jesus made that crystal clear in Matthew 6:15: If you won’t forgive others, you’re not in a position to fully receive forgiveness yourself. Forgiveness is not optional; it’s a kingdom requirement.
It also matters for your own spiritual and emotional health. You can’t walk in victory while dragging around a bag full of grudges. Sooner or later, that bag gets so heavy you can’t run the race God set before you. Forgiveness lightens your load and clears your path.
How to Start the Journey
- Pray for the one who hurt you. That may feel impossible, but prayer shifts your focus from the wound to the Healer.
- Release your right to revenge. This doesn’t erase justice; it simply leaves it in God’s capable hands.
- Remember God’s mercy toward you. The same grace that washed away your sins is the grace you extend to others. When you take these steps, you move from being a prisoner of your pain to a steward of God’s peace.
Bible Verse To Help The Healing:
Matthew 18:21-22 reads, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Call and Response Liturgy To Forgive Someone Who Hurt You
Below is a liturgy to say with a friend to help you:
- Call: Lord, help us forgive as You have forgiven us.
- Response: We release the weight of bitterness into Your hands.
- Call: Father, heal the wounds that still ache.
- Response: Fill our hearts with Your peace and grace.
- Call: Teach us to love past the pain.
- Response: And to walk in the freedom of forgiveness.
What has today’s faith required from you? Share your forgiveness story! Reply in the comments and I might reply! I would love to hear your journey!
