“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” 

-Ephesians 4:31-32

Forgiveness is not an easy task. It means choosing to love the people who caused us harm, pain and suffering. But why would we want to do that? It is so counter-intuitive. The world systems are built on an eye-for-eye and tooth-for-tooth basis. If you hurt me, I reserve myself the right to hurt you too. Though some consider this justice, it is nothing but revenge, and Jesus wants to introduce us to a brand new kind of justice: kingdom justice; based in love and grace, demonstrated through forgiveness and mercy.

First, remember that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) The people who hurt us are not doing so by themselves. They are like chess pieces under the control of the real enemy lurking in the shadows. Therefore let us forgive the person and wage war in spirit against the real enemy through prayer.Also, we must keep this in mind: we did not deserve God’s forgiveness but He gave it to us freely in Jesus, though our debt was so much greater than what our neighbor owes us (Matthew 18:21-35). The devil wants to keep us in a prison of bitterness, but we have the authority to break free from it today, through faith in Christ. By letting go of the grip we have of our enemies, our hands will be free to receive God’s grace, mercy, salvation and blessings. Today, choose to release them, and let the Holy Spirit heal and restore your broken heart. He will pour blessings into your hands more than you can hold ! let us practice what Jesus says in Luke 6:37-38;

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”