Jesus told us more than once that if we want God to forgive us, we should forgive those who have hurt us (Matthew 6:14). Every mistake hurts God. People make mistakes every day, and it’s hard for them to go a day without angering God. That means we need God’s forgiveness or we will be judged forever (Matthew 18:35). When you hurt another person, you hurt someone made in God’s image. But Jesus is talking to the person who is angry. No matter if the person who hurt them wants to be forgiven or not, that person has to.
You might wonder why that is important. Think about how much worse it is for a person to offend another person than for a person to offend their Creator, God. If our hearts are hardened against the person who hurt us, why shouldn’t God’s heart be hardened against us? People should forgive us because we know we can hurt others too, and we need to be forgiven. We are just as guilty as the person we forgive, and we always will be.
God wants what’s best for us. When we forgive others, we get rid of our own negative thoughts. In their thoughts, the person who hurt us is not replaying the offense over and over. We do this anyway, but it hurts us. Bitterness is poison that changes the way we think and feel. Those thoughts come to mind when we pray. He tells them to forgive them right then. Now you’re in front of God, Who needs to forgive you. Before you start praying, forgive anyone who has hurt you.
Think about this: Christians follow the lead of their Savior, who forgiven those who killed Him on the cross (Luke 23:34).
Mark 11:25
25 “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
