Forgiveness ... Worth the Cost
- Beth Mims
- May 5
- 3 min read
Pain.
Excruciating pain! That is what I felt when the heavy metal door closed on my finger.
That finger hurt for weeks. I protected it and nursed it, and it seemed to be healing. I no longer wore a bandage because it did not bleed at the slightest touch.
I could go for hours without any thought of the unfortunate incident….unless I happened to bump it. Then immediately, the pain would flare like no healing had occurred. The finger looked better, but it was not well.
The problem? Outside skin had healed over the festering wound inside. The infection was sealed in my finger.
A trip to the doctor resulted in a lanced finger to allow the infection to drain. Healing had to occur from the inside out.
If you have ever had a heart hurt, you know the same thing can happen inside our hearts. A betrayal, a loss, an unkind action can hurt, and before we know it, there is an infection inside. We can try to cover it up, smile as if nothing happened, say it does not matter, but that unresolved hurt continues to fester.
We will think that everything is perfectly wonderful, until we see or hear something that reminds us of the hurt. Suddenly, the pain explodes inside because healing has not occurred.
So, how do we heal?
Just like with my finger, we must get to the root of the infection.
Hurts must be forgiven to heal. This is a hard truth.
When we carry unforgiveness over the wound, it will continue to fester in our spirit no matter how well we attempt to cover it up. We may go weeks or months without thinking about the incident, but when we encounter the person that hurt us or hear a mention of the incident, the fire from that hurt will begin its slow burn again.
There is only one cure. Forgiveness.
Forgiveness frees the forgiver. Jesus knew this. That’s why he gave this instruction to his followers:
“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Holding grudges, hanging on to unforgiveness, regardless of the severity of the offense, weighs down the one who was wronged. Jesus came to free us from that weight.
Christians have been forgiven. We live forgiven and washed clean by the precious blood of Christ. We did nothing to earn this, nor do we deserve this gift of forgiveness. As we seek to live Christlike lives, we must offer the same gift to others, whether or not they ask for it or we deem that they deserve it.
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32, KJV).
FORGIVENESS IS NOT ABOUT WHAT SOMEONE DESERVES. FORGIVENESS IS ABOUT WHO I SERVE.
Father, thank You for Your gift of forgiveness. May I be as quick to forgive others as You have forgiven me. Search my heart and show me any hidden unforgiveness. Cleanse me of old grudges or judgmental attitudes. Let me walk clean before You. In Jesus’ name I pray.
A Good Listen - "He Has Forgiven Me"
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