“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.“
-Matthew 6:14 (NIV)
Forgiveness releases you from the grip of bitterness, resentment, and pain.
And the devil hates that.
He seeks to hinder forgiveness in your life because he knows its transformative power. By understanding why the devil opposes forgiveness, you can recognize his tactics and actively choose to embrace the freedom and peace that forgiveness brings.
Three reasons why the devil doesn’t want you to forgive:
Unforgiveness Keeps You in Bondage:
Unforgiveness locks you in a prison of bitterness and resentment. It holds you captive to the pain inflicted by others, preventing you from moving forward and experiencing true healing.
The devil knows that as long as you hold onto unforgiveness, you remain trapped in a cycle of negativity, unable to fully embrace the abundant life that God desires for you.
Unforgiveness Ruins Relationships:
The devil understands the power of unity and harmony within relationships. When you withhold forgiveness, it creates division and strife among friends, family, and even within the body of Christ. Unresolved conflicts and grudges create barriers that hinder the work of God’s love and grace in our lives.
The devil delights in sowing discord, knowing that fractured relationships weaken your witness and hinder the spread of the Gospel. (Let that last line sink in for a moment….)
Unforgiveness Keeps You from Becoming Like Jesus:
As Christians, we are called to imitate Christ and reflect His character in our lives. Forgiveness lies at the heart of Jesus’ teachings and example. When you choose not to forgive, you distance yourself from the likeness of Christ. The devil seeks to hinder your transformation into Christlikeness, knowing that forgiveness is a powerful testimony of God’s grace and love working in and through you.
Two questions:
- Are there any unresolved hurts or grievances in your heart that you need to release through forgiveness?
- How can you actively resist the devil’s attempts to hinder forgiveness and cultivate a heart that reflects Christ’s forgiveness and grace?
Thank you for today’s message 💜
I sometimes havw negative thoughts about the people that have wronged me. As soon as that comes to mibd, I ask Jesus for forgiveness. I repent.
I’ve been holding on to things for too long… I learned how to forgive radically during my pregnancy and early motherhood… but I took it too far. It took me right back in to making excuses for people, like my daughters father, and engaging in codependent tendencies… I am struggling to find the balance now, I really am. I am not a fan of “cancel culture”… it is not Christ-like to cancel someone. But how do I set healthy boundaries in my relationships so that I can show MYSELF the love and grace and redemption and freedom that God wants us to experience with him?
Hello, thanks so much for your comment. Glad this post was a blessing to you.
-DFM team member
The struggle is real! Stay teachable and sensitive to the Spirit. God bless you.
-DFM team member
I think you bring up a great question, and your story shows how important boundaries are in the forgiveness process. Forgiveness doesn’t mean that you have to pretend that what happened wasn’t hurtful, but it is a way to make room for God to heal your anger and resentment towards another person. Because healthy boundaries remove the fear associated with forgiveness, they can actually enable us to truly forgive someone, even though the relationship may change.
Setting healthy boundaries is a process that you can invite the Lord into. Ask God, what is the scope and the purpose of those boundaries? What is my motivation for setting this boundary? How rigid or how long should those boundaries be in place? Those are questions that you can bring to God and ask Him how to effectively forgive and protect yourself from being hurt again by that person in the future.
Sometimes boundaries need to be rigid and last a long time, and that’s not the same as canceling someone. Canceling is done in an attempt to hurt the other person, and loving boundaries are placed in an attempt to protect yourself, allow yourself room to heal, and free yourself from resentment and anger. Boundaries are not placed as a punishment, but they can protect you and enable healthy healing.
We are praying for you on your journey of forgiveness with Christ. Keep asking those questions, bringing yourself before the Lord, and we believe he will bring you to a place of healing and freedom.