Sometimes there is no human court that we can go to. The wrong done to us may not even be a crime. Thus it may be something that the police cannot help us with. If so, we may need to just hand the situation over …
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When and how does God judge and punish?
One day Jesus will judge all of us, either at the Judgment Seat of Christ or at the Great White Throne. However, He will also judge wrongdoers in various other preliminary ways, long before those final Judgments occur. God uses human governments to judge wrongdoers …
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Ask God to help you to see your own faults too, and even how you may possibly have contributed to the wrong that was done to you
Another very helpful thing to do is to ask God to reveal to us what our own faults and sins are. All of us tend to under-estimate our own sinfulness. We don’t realise the degree to which, and the ways in which, we have, ourselves, …
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Forgiveness is primarily something we do rather than something we feel
Many people struggle and get confused because they don’t realise, or they keep forgetting, that forgiveness is primarily something we do, not something we feel. To a very large extent, feelings follow actions. Thus, merely by the physical act of speaking the words of forgiveness …
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Pray directly for the wrongdoer himself. In doing so, you are showing grace towards them and you will therefore receive God’s grace in return. Plus it will soften your own heart.
Another very helpful approach, which can help to get you to the place where you become capable of forgiving, or even to be ‘willing to be willing’ to do so, is just to begin to pray in general terms for the overall benefit of the …
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How to forgive people in practical terms – some advice on what to do and how to go about it
21Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matthew …
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Forgiveness is not done for the benefit of the wrongdoer. Therefore, it does not require their repentance before we can forgive them (though it does help a lot)
We must remember this crucial point, which may help some people who are struggling to forgive. It is that we do not forgive people for their sake, so that they can benefit. It is done, primarily, for our own benefit. So, it is not something …
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Dealing practically with the fresh violation you feel when you see that the wrongdoer is brass-faced and feels no shame
The same principles apply as with the original wrongdoing. So, along with the difficulties that come from the original wrong, you have the extra ordeal of facing the wrongdoer and seeing him, large as life. Perhaps he is even attending the same church as you, …
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What if the wrongdoer is unrepentant and unconcerned?
For many of us, this is the hardest thing to bear – seeing the wrongdoer walking around, carefree and not even showing any concern, let alone repentance, for what He has done. He may even taunt us about it and laugh about the harm he …
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Illegitimately judging other people brings God’s judgment upon ourselves
There is another good reason to forgive others. It is that when we judge other people (in the wrong sense of that word) we bring God’s judgment upon ourselves. Moreover, He has said that He will use the same standards, or criteria, to judge us …
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