The Bible and life itself offer up two choices, two levels to deal with this…two.  Justice (judgment) or grace (mercy & forgiveness). In Christian circles, we often feel as though we can’t talk about our unforgiveness since that makes me less of being a "good Christian".

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But studies show that you are not alone. 25% of Christians struggle with that one thing that we just can't forgive.

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But you also have the ability to be free from that pain.  To be FULLY ALIVE, as God speaks about in John 10:10.

 

The path of real forgiveness may be counter-intuitive to everything the world tells you that someone needs to be held accountable….but that very same advice society provides is keeping you in your cage of anger, resentment, blame, and shame.

 
My friends, this is where the biggest misconception exists regarding what forgiveness

is really about.
 
Forgiveness is NOT an exchange – it is about one side of a two-sided transaction. On the one

side, you have the person who took something from you; the person who“owes” you.

And on the other side of the transaction is you -- the person who is “owed.”
 
It is not subject to their paying us back - in whole or part - especially since we are talking

about a debt that usually can NEVER be paid back.  Forgiveness is not subject to an apology.  It is not subject to what they need to do or payback to you in any form.  It is not even subject to their being alive!!  They could be dead or long gone from your life. 

 

We are talking about a debt that cannot or will never be paid back.  You can choose to hang on to it if you want, forcing your will into a payback that most likely will never happen. Many of us would rather fight to stay in pain -- than surrender to be healed. But forgiving, letting God have it, and surrendering it can provide peace...and freedom.

 
The freedom - the release - the forgiveness in ONLY about our side.  It has nothing to do with them. 
        It is not subject to retribution.
        It is not subject to their knowing the pain they caused us. 
        It is not subject to an apology or repentance from them. 
        It is subject to nothing other than your decision to forgive.
 

When did Jesus offer forgiveness?  For ALL men for ALL time subject to….nothing. We are RECONCILED with God, when we as the offender, repent, request a relationship with Him, and enter into a relationship with Him.

 

1 John 2:2 tells us, He (Jesus) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 
 

Reconciliation is only after we have repentance and as the offender, ask to be forgiven so we can have a relationship and reconciliation now and forever more.

 

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 tells us, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

REMEMBER this: Forgiveness can't change your past, but it sure can change your future.