… and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
Matthew 6:12 NLT
***
God has left sin in the world in order that there may be forgiveness:
not only the secret forgiveness by which He Himself cleanses our souls,
but the manifest forgiveness by which we have mercy on one another
and so give expression to the fact that
He is living, by His mercy, in our own hearts.
Thomas Merton
***
Forgiveness is God’s invention for coming to terms with a world
in which people are unfair to each other and hurt each other deeply.
He began by forgiving us. And He invites us all to forgive each other.
Lewis B. Smedes
***
Make allowance for each other’s faults,
and forgive anyone who offends you.
Remember, the Lord forgave you,
so you must forgive others.
Colossians 3:13 NLT
***
Forgiveness is not a moral issue.
It is an energy dynamic…
Forgiveness means that you do not carry the baggage of an experience.
When you choose not to forgive,
the experience that you do not forgive sticks with you.
When you choose not to forgive,
it is like agreeing to wear dark, gruesome sunglasses that distort everything,
and it is you who are forced every day
to look at life through those contaminated lenses
because you have chosen to keep them.
Gary Zukav
***
Forgiveness doesn’t mean that what that person did was right
or that you even have to get back into a relationship with that person.
Forgiveness simply releases the debt they owe you
so that God can release the debt you owe Him.
Ask the Lord to search your heart and show you
if there is any unforgiveness blocking His blessing in your life.
Ask Him to show you more about this gift of forgiveness
so that you can walk in the freedom and victory He has for you today.
Joel Osteen
***
You now have the mantle of God’s forgiveness.
As you go, you are able to share the life-giving power to forgive sins,
or to withhold forgiveness.
John 20:23 The Voice
***
We may imitate the Deity in all His attributes;
but mercy is the only one in which we can pretend to equal Him.
We cannot, indeed, give like God;
but surely we may forgive like Him.
Laurence Sterne