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Forgiving the Unkind: How Christlike Compassion Heals a Hurting World
By Doreen Virtue
Excerpted from Daily Forgiveness Devotional
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32
It’s easy to be kind to those who are kind to us. Yet, God’s Word exhorts us to be Christlike. On the cross, Jesus forgave those who tortured and killed Him. God forgave us of our sins through Jesus’ shed blood on the cross.
We aren’t just called to forgive—we are commanded to forgive. This does not mean we forget or become close to those who’ve hurt us. Forgiveness isn’t approval of sin or abuse.
With Christ’s strength, we can be healed of resentment, bitterness, and stored rage. When we hold onto our past losses and abuses, it keeps us locked in a perpetual pattern of reliving those traumas. It’s as if the painful events keep reoccurring in our hearts.
We have all sinned against our perfectly holy God. Yet by His mercy and grace—through our faith in Jesus Christ—we are forgiven. We didn’t earn or deserve God’s forgiveness. It is a free gift of grace.
We who have been forgiven so much—may we extend Christlike forgiveness to others.
Excerpted from Daily Forgiveness Devotional
