Why Forgiveness?

Perhaps the best gift you can give yourself is forgiveness. Yes, you must forgive yourself for the mistakes of your past, but to forgive others from your heart is to release yourself from needless torment. You will never be truly free in this life until you learn to give it all away, and forgiveness from the heart may be the most important thing you give.

Should you grant forgiveness without the criminal specifically asking for forgiveness? Answer this: Do you really want to be held accountable for everything you have ever done wrong, even the things that you didn’t even know you did wrong, or the things you have long forgotten – or things that you may no longer have any power to fix? Sometimes it seems that rehashing old hurts in an apology would be worse than just letting it go and moving on anyway. Jesus said that we will be held to the same standard we hold others to. Why not release all claims against everyone right now and see how God will suddenly open doors in your life that seemed to be welded shut. Many have testified that forgiveness was the key to their physical healing. Jesus specifically mentioned unforgiveness as one thing that can cripple our faith and thus prevent us from receiving from God.

What about accountability? Is it wrong to hold others accountable for their actions or inactions? Absolutely not, but answer this: can others hold you accountable? When we do wrong, we should be called out for it. We should repent quickly when we are made aware of it, and do our best to make things right. If we refuse, we amplify the wrong and invite worse judgment upon ourselves. When we are forgiven, we should understand that trust has been broken, and that trust must be rebuilt. God and man can reinstate you, but they will do so only after you are tested and approved. As an example, think of how Jesus dealt with Peter after Peter denied the Lord.
(Matthew 6:14, Mark 11:20-25, Matthew 18:32-35, Matthew 7:2, Luke 17:3-10, 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Matthew 5:21-26)