Counsels on Relationships

Counsel #11 — Making Forgiveness Stick

Picture: Counsel #11 — Making Forgiveness Stick CR 167.1

Often forgiveness isn't a one-time fix; it can be an ongoing process. Letting go of hurt requires reliance on God's strength and is sometimes a daily effort. Struggling with forgiveness remains an issue if we revisit old wounds and choose to stay focused on negative thoughts when they creep in. CR 167.2

When someone has deeply hurt you, healing takes time. It's important to continually turn to God for grace and support. Our minds can be battlegrounds for harmful thoughts, so it's essential to capture and redirect them. Dwelling on anger or revenge only creates more pain. CR 167.3

Maintaining forgiveness can be harder than holding onto bitterness, but surrendering it to God is worth the peace and healing it brings. Negative emotions stem from our sinful nature, but God's power can help us overcome them. By depending on the Holy Spirit daily, we can choose forgiveness again and again.^[164] CR 167.4

“Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.” James 5:16 WEB CR 167.5

“There must be a firm continuance, a perseverance in acts of faith. We are to praise God, to show forth His glory in a righteous character. No one of us will gain the victory without persevering, untiring effort, proportionate to the value of the object which we seek, even eternal life.” Ellen White in Ye Shall Receive Power, p. 304 CR 167.6

Reflect: How can you incorporate Scripture and prayer into your daily forgiveness journey? CR 167.7