Why would God ask us to do something so hard? The answer touches the very heart of who God is and what His love does within us.
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He said, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Matthew 6:12) Right after teaching this prayer, He explained, “If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:15) Forgiveness, then, isn’t just a suggestion — it’s a command rooted in the way God’s mercy works. We receive mercy so that we can become merciful.
Forgiving others doesn’t mean saying that what happened was right. It means allowing God to take the place of judge and healer in our hearts. When we forgive, we open our wounds to His grace instead of letting bitterness take root. As long as we hold onto resentment, we are still chained to the past — but when we forgive, we give God permission to set us free.
The command to forgive is really an invitation to love as God loves. On the Cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) He wasn’t ignoring the evil done to Him; He was transforming it with mercy. When we forgive, we share in that same divine love — we become more like Christ, whose mercy conquers sin and whose love turns suffering into redemption.
Forgiveness is also healing for the one who forgives. It releases the poison that anger leaves inside us and fills that space with peace. God commands us to forgive because He wants our hearts to live, not to stay trapped in pain. He knows that forgiveness restores joy, rebuilds trust, and opens the way for His Spirit to work freely within us.
When you struggle to forgive, remember that you are not asked to do it alone. Christ forgives within you. Let His mercy flow through your wounds — and you will find that forgiveness, in the end, is not a burden, but freedom.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
