Published  March 9, 2025

by Andy Berges

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Everyone has experienced hurt from the words and actions of others, and it’s only natural for us to become angry and seek revenge rather than pursue peace and forgiveness.

 

When Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” Jesus replied, “No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!” Although this amounts to 490 times, it's clear that Jesus meant we should forgive infinitely those who have wronged us.

 

Many people understandably struggle to those who have unjustly mistreated them, especially when those individuals never apologize. However, holding onto unforgiveness can lead to persistent anger and self-destructive behaviors. As the saying goes, “Not forgiving others is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

 

While we all struggle with forgiveness at various times throughout our lives, we must strive to become more forgiving. When someone wrongs us, we should remember that hurt people tend to hurt people - a truth we can recognize from our own experiences.

 

Even though Jesus never sinned or harmed anyone during his time on Earth, He continually forgave those who wrongfully persecuted Him. Even while being crucified and suffering one of the most torturous deaths known to humanity, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Now that is forgiveness!

 

Harboring feelings of hatred and bitterness can cause self-inflicted wounds and lead to an unhappy and unhealthy life. By embracing forgiveness, we also embrace peace and joy, guiding ourselves toward physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

 

Ephesians 4:31-32 teaches us, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

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Being unforgiving stirs up anger and thoughts of vengeance, preventing us from enjoying the present moment. Life is too short to spend any of it being unforgiving and unnecessarily angry. So choose to be forgiving and joyful, because as Ralph Waldo Emerson wisely stated, ​“For every second you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”