forgiven to forgive by stella ashworth
Forgiveness is one of the hardest commands in the Christian life and yet it is not optional. It is required.
When someone has wounded you, misrepresented you, betrayed your trust, or tried to push you into a pit they dug with their own hands, everything in your flesh wants justice. Explanation. Vindication. Payback.
But Jesus calls us higher.
He did not say forgive when it feels fair. He did not say forgive when they apologize properly.
He said forgive “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22).
Forgiveness is not weakness. It is warfare. It is choosing obedience over emotion. It is choosing freedom over bitterness. It is choosing trust in God over control.
When you forgive, you are not saying what they did was acceptable. You are saying God is Judge, not you.
Scripture reminds us clearly: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)
That means you do not have to chase justice. You do not have to expose, fight, or repay evil for evil. God sees. God knows. God keeps records far more accurately than we ever could.
Forgiveness is daily sometimes. It is waking up and forgiving again. And again. And again — until the sting loses its grip.
But here is the power in it: When you forgive, Heaven moves on your behalf. When you release them, God defends you. When you surrender revenge, God handles the outcome.
People may think they “got away with it.” But no one escapes the justice of God. And no one who forgives in obedience escapes the blessing of God.
Forgiveness keeps your heart clean. It keeps your authority intact. It keeps the enemy from building a home in your pain.
So forgive. Not because they deserve it but because Christ forgave you. Forgive 70 times 7. Forgive until peace returns. Forgive until God restores what was lost.
And trust this: The same God who commands forgiveness is the God who promises, “I will repay.”
Written by Stella Ashworth - Bay Talk