When we’ve been hurt, our first instinct is often to retaliate. We know it’s wrong because the Bible teaches us the importance of forgiving others (see Mark 11:25). We also know that holding on to bitterness can hurt us. But sometimes we can’t bring ourselves to forgive, so we keep wrestling with it in our minds. But take a minute to think about what happens in a wrestling match. You focus on your opponent, clinging to them and trying to control them. Your aim is to put them on the mat and bring them into submission, and it takes all your energy. Plus, you risk getting hurt in the process. The only real power you have over someone who hurts you is the power of forgiveness. So the best course of action is to forgive them, leave the situation in God’s hands, and move on. When you don’t feel like being forgiving, bring to mind the words of Colossians 3:13 – ‘Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you’ (NCV) – and pray, ‘Father, help me become willing to forgive.’ It’s easier for us to forgive small offences, but big ones will need God’s help. And we can have it: ‘God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him’ (Philippians 2:13 NLT). From a human perspective, we might want the person who has hurt us to suffer, but when our most precious wish is to please God, He’ll give us the grace to forgive, the wisdom to let Him administer justice, and the strength to move on.
