Why Would You Forgive Someone Who Hurt You?

 If you’ve been hurt, it might feel ridiculous to think about forgiving someone who hurt you but hear me out, there are important reasons why offering forgiveness can help.

You may not see the forest for the trees when it comes to forgiveness, but there are valuable reasons why you should consider forgiveness as one of the options related to your anger, sadness, or other emotions tied to your situation.

Take a look at these reasons why you may want to forgive someone who hurt you:

Your emotions are unresolved: As long as you carry the emotions tied to your situation, they will remain unresolved. Feeling angry, bitter, sad, or any other negative emotion comes from the space that wants justice and vindication. Mixed in with the muck and the mire are all sorts of distorted thoughts that perpetuate your unresolved emotions. This can make a mountain out of a molehill and rob you of the happiness that coexists with your pain. Letting go of the blame and need for vindication makes it possible to move through the situation and on with your life.  Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, " I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

It's not just a one-time choice and then we automatically go on living in a state of forgiveness.  Forgiveness can sometimes require a lifetime of working on forgiving, but it is important to the Lord.  We must continue to follow Jesus life and lessons in forgiving until the matter is settled in our heart and mind.

Pent up anger can cause physical illness: Your bitterness or pain can morph into real physical illness, robbing you further than you’ve already been. Keeping the offense unresolved can lead to high blood pressure, anxieties, and worse. Doing your body the favor by forgiving can help ensure your health stays intact.

Forgiving can restore what has been lost: Sometimes the rift between two people grows bigger than necessary. The pain lingers, the resentment grows, and the damage takes on a life of its own. Hashing things out and forgiving can allow for a restoration and resolution more often than not. In times where the issues at hand are too grave and too big to resolve, forgiveness can still make it possible to stop the feedback loop playing in your head. If restoration may not be wise, letting go of what is eating you up is worth the effort.  But, the best reason to forgive others is because Jesus commanded us to so that we may be forgiven as well.  Matthew 6:14-16  For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

 In Closing

The benefits of forgiving and forgetting are emotional, physical, and practical. Walking around with chronic anger and resentment can bleed over into all areas of life. By finding the courage and practical ways to forgive, you can move through your negative emotions and into the better space of acceptance, healthy boundaries, and grace.

If you would like to take a deeper dive into Forgiveness, please check our 30 Day challenge out here:  https://www.youministries.com/offers/CVf6xGEf

Join our private Facebook group here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/youministries/

Your sister in Christ,

Tammy x