How To Forgive Others With The Help Of God And Heal Physically And Spiritually

What Is Forgiveness According To The Bible?

In (Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV), it says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

According to God, forgiving someone means getting rid of all bitterness you have towards that person. When someone hurts you and you keep that pain inside of you, it grows to become bitterness. But God is telling us to get rid of the bitterness and anger we may have towards someone who has hurt us to forgive them just as in Christ, God forgave us. 

If we expect God to forgive us when we sin against Him, then God also expects us to forgive others when they sin against us. But, most often, the act of forgiveness is not initiated by the other person, so we have to make that conscious decision to let go of the pain. 

Matthew 6:14-15 says that ” For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, you Father will not forgive your sins.”

So here, Jesus speaks explicitly about forgiveness verbatim. If we forgive people who have hurt us, our Father in Heaven will also forgive us for our sins. And this we can look to it as a biblical principle. Sometimes it may not be easy to forgive, especially if the person caused terrible emotional trauma to us, but what’s impossible for us to accomplish is not impossible for God to do. If you find that you are having difficulty forgiving and letting go, pray and ask God to help you forgive the person or people who have hurt you. 

What Happens When You Forgive? 

To sincerely forgive and let go, you will have to make up your mind, and decide that you are ready to forgive and let go. It is a mental exercise and an emotional exercise. As you prepare your mind, you also have to prepare your heart. The moment you come to that critical decision and begin to utter those words, ” I forgive,” there is an emotional release that you can not see, but most likely, you will feel that a burden or heaviness has been released. Therefore, it is imperative to pray to God and tell Him that you have decided to forgive and pray to God about your decision and tell God about the people you are forgiving – Let God be part of this process. As the days or weeks go by after you have gone through the forgiveness process, you will feel emotionally different. One way to figure out if you have truly forgiven someone is that when you think of them, thoughts of them do not bring pain or anger, but neutral emotions or even empathy for the person. 

Unforgiveness Can Block Your Relationship With God

Do not allow unforgiveness to rob you of a relationship with God. Unforgiveness is one way that the enemy will keep you in bondage; that is why Jesus talks a lot about forgiving people. However, Unforgiveness can also block God’s blessings from coming to you, and it can also block God from using you for His purpose. 

In (Matthew 5:23-24 NIV) it says “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”

In this scripture, it is clear, if you have wronged someone, go and apologize and make things right with them, or if someone has wronged you, forgive and let go of the hurt and pain. 

God takes forgiveness very seriously; as it is written in Matthew 6:15, it says if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us – it’s that plain and simple. 

The Physical Effects Of Unforgiveness

When we harbor pain and bitterness in our body, in as much as it has its spiritual consequences, it also has its physical effects. Some of the physical ailment that associates with unforgiveness are

Cancer

Weak Immune System

High Blood Pressure

Anxiety

Back Pain

Ongoing Stress

Depression

When we forgive from the heart and let go, a release happens, setting us free and making it possible to heal from trauma. When we hold on to unforgiveness, the pain, hurt, and bitterness produce the stress hormone cortisol. “Unfortunately, when stress hormones are released more frequently and remain in the bloodstream for long periods, you may experience a hormonal imbalance that can wreak havoc on your health,” as quoted from an expert.  

It is also imperative to forgive yourself if your past actions may have caused you pain. Forgiveness is a process, and the first step is to acknowledge and make a mental decision that you will let go, forgive and move on. 

God loves us, and He wants us to be healthy spiritually and physically. 

Benefits Of Forgiveness

1. A healthy relationship with God
2. You become happier
3. Your prayers get answered
4. Improved physical health
5. Better mental health and focus
6. Improved physical relationships
7. Stronger immune system
8. Low blood pressure
9. Improved heart health
10. Clarity in life and purpose

Forgiveness is a journey, and I understand that sometimes you can’t go through the process alone; if you want a safe place to talk to someone and begin that journey, please email us at lnjlifecoaching@gmail.com