Ray Pritchard has posted 25 affirmations about forgiveness. If you’re struggling to unpack forgiveness it would be worthwhile to read through this list and choose a few points on which to meditate.
I really like some of the points Ray (and a friend of his) make. What I think this list captures is the idea that biblical forgiveness must built on the foundation of good doctrine. If we are going to unpack forgiveness, then we must increasingly know what God is like: that he is gracious, sovereign, good, and justice.
- If you wait to forgive until you feel like forgiving, you will never forgive.
- Without God’s grace, we will never forgive.
- Forgiveness is necessary but it isn’t easy.
- Forgiveness is first of all between us and God.
- God does not intend that all of life should be pleasant.
- Nothing gets rid of pride like adversity.
- Nobody understands the art of revenge like the Lord.
- There is coming a day when every dispute will be resolved. When you understand this, you are freed from feeling like you have to personally solve every issue here on this earth.
- Good theology is imperative. What you think about God determines how you respond in the hard times.
- God is good. If you don’t believe that, it will be next to impossible to forgive others.
- God is sovereign. There are no mistakes in God’s economy, and no detail, no matter how small, goes unnoticed by Him.
- God’s grace is always sufficient.
- There is an old saying: “Time heals all.” That isn’t always true. . . .
Read Ray’s entire post here.
