Forgiving

January 1, 2026 - Forgiving

Share highs, lows and God moments

1. What did you do on the plane?
2. What new thing do you hope for this year?

Talk to your partner about this question: Is it easier to forgive a person who hurt you or to forgive yourself for hurting someone else?

Genesis 50:15-17 (NIV)  

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” ¹⁶ So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ¹⁷ ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

Matthew 6:14-15

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Matthew 18:21-22

"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.'"

Luke 6:27-28

“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you” 

REFLECTION

Forgiveness always reminds me of my mother. She was reading a book called Forgiving and Forgetting when she died. My mother was a cerebral person. For example, she never talked to me about “the birds and the bees.” She handed me a book as I left for college, Sin, Sex and Self-control. She was a gentle soul who never got mad at anyone other than my brother and me when we fought.  I never heard her cuss, much less say something bad about someone. Why was she studying forgiveness?  

Reading the Bible verses, we find that Forgiveness is mandatory over and over and over again for us when we follow Jesus. Gosh, that’s a hard one!! When someone hurts us so deeply then they go on with their lives and we are suffering and wounded. It hurts to the core. How do we forgive? God, you want me to forget too?? 

God, we need a little help here. I think that’s why my mother was reading her book. Sometimes it’s so hard that we need to read passages and maybe even get a friendly hug or word of encouragement from others. 

I do know that when you can forgive, moving on is so much easier. Holding a grudge only seems to hurt the one holding on. Lets look for the good in each other and try to forgive the things that we don’t like. “I’m sorry” is a hard saying sometimes, even when you really mean it, but it is a great start for forgiveness. 

Prayer

God, help us to see the best in each other. To love each other as you love us, with forgiveness and forgetting. If we are wounded by others, give us strength and faith in your forgiveness so we can forgive others. Teach us to be sensitive to others and confess our actions that can do harm. 

AMEN