Experiencing Love Through Forgiveness by Charles Stanley, from Every Day In His Presence

Her many sins have been forgiven — as her great love has shown. — Luke 7:47 NIV
There are many reasons why people fail to experience God’s love, and one of them is unforgiveness. When we don’t forgive, a barrier of bitterness grows and obstructs His love from entering in.
Friend, are you harboring resentment? Then you’re hurting yourself without reason. Jesus came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18) — and He did so through His love on the cross. He came, not to injure you, but to heal your wounds. And He calls you to forgive those who’ve hurt you because it’s a crucial part of liberating you fully.
He asks you to have an accurate view of all you’ve been forgiven so you can understand others (Luke 7:47). You sinned out of pain, unawareness, fear, and self-protection (Luke 23:34). The same is true for those who’ve hurt you — they sinned out of ignorance; they couldn’t possibly know the full effect their actions would have on you.
Friend, don’t remain captive to your hostility any longer. Express Christ-like mercy to your offenders and be free of the prison. Because then you’ll be able to fully experience His love in return.
Jesus, give me the strength to forgive so I can experience Your peace and love to the fullest, amen.
In His presence... choose forgiveness.
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Excerpted with permission Every Day In His Presence by Charles Stanley, copyright Thomas Nelson.
Your Turn
So often, even as mature believers in Christ, we can know that we need to forgive and yet respond, “But, if you only know what they did to me… Or how much she or he…" etc. And, we forget that forgiveness is freedom for our own souls and an open door to receiving God’s love!