Why Forgiveness Is Important
1. Forgiveness is a Gift to Self
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Luke 23:34
Forgiveness is not about the response of the person who hurt us — it is about keeping our own heart free. Jesus forgave without needing anything from the people around Him, showing us that forgiveness is something we release before God, not something we wait to receive from others.
Forgiveness is personal. It is a gift you give your own heart, and it positions you to receive the peace, clarity, and blessing God wants to pour into your life.
2. Cleansing Our Temple
“Do you now know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Anger and hurt can cloud our soul, but God calls us to release those burdens so our hearts remain a clean, healthy temple for His Spirit. The process of forgiveness — whether through prayer, a forgiveness letter, or a moment with God — allows the pain to come out and the healing of the Holy Spirit to flow in.
Forgiveness honors God, protects your heart, and clears space for His presence to move powerfully in you.
3. The Superpower of Forgiveness
Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home.
Matthew 9:5-7
The religious leaders were outraged when Jesus publicly proclaimed forgiveness of sin, accusing Him of blasphemy because they believed only God could forgive sins. We now have access to this superpower of forgiveness as believers in Jesus Christ. Forgiveness is the foundation of our salvation.
Forgiveness brings healing, deliverance, and every blessing of God into our life. We are now able to go through life forgiving, moving past them, and actually grow and mature spiritually in the process opposed to having sin snare us in bitterness and anger.
4. Imitating Our Father
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Exodus 34:6-7
When we walk in forgiveness, we are looking just like our Heavenly Father who absorbed the entire sins of the world to be in relationship with us. Walking in forgiveness allows the Holy Spirit to transform and sanctify our hearts. Forgiveness destroys the enemy’s influence and strengthens us to walk boldly into the promises God has for our lives.
Forgiveness is not a suggestion, it is a commandment from God so we can possess our promised land with clean, pure hearts.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As believers in Jesus Christ, we all have to go through not only receiving forgiveness at the altar of salvation but giving forgiveness.
Forgiveness is personal, it is a gift to self, and does not require the presence of the person we are forgiving.
Forgiveness is the foundation of our salvation and brings healing, deliverance, and every blessing of God into our life.
