What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is releasing the offender from his mistakes and letting God step in. It involves a decision to let go of bitterness and surrender thoughts of revenge. Reconciliation may not happen at times but to reap its benefits one must choose to let go and obey.

...I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:1-2)

1. Forgiveness promotes healing.

As Christians, we are commanded by the Lord to forgive.

 "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."(Matthew 6:14-15)

Matthew is pointing out that in order for our sins to be forgiven, we need to forgive first. In other words, the forgiveness of your sins requires your obedience. Obedience to forgive.

How does forgiving promote healing? It allows God to step in and do His thing. He is the God that healeth thee. If you choose not to forgive and hold on to your grudges, it’s like preventing God from starting the healing process. Remember, only God can heal, nobody else.

2. Forgiveness relieves stress.

According to research, stress is one of the leading causes of numerous illnesses. It stimulates the production of cortisol in your body which wreaks havoc on your health. High blood pressure, lack of sleep, restlessness, and strained relationships are only some of its negative effects. All these lead to more problems not only for you but also for those around you – an infection that negatively affects everything in its path.

Sadly, forgiveness is easier said than done. It requires surrender and letting go. It’s never easy. And it becomes extremely harder if the offender doesn’t seem to care. But then again it’s not about the offender. That’s why Christ emphasized this when He said in Matthew 18:22,

"Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

3. Forgiveness produces patience.

Every one of us has our bad days. Financial difficulties, marital conflicts, work-related issues, and health problems are only some of the many reasons why we are so stressed resulting in bad moods and irritability. The exact reason why Paul directs the Ephesian church saying,

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."(Ephesians 4:1-2)

We need to remember that difficult people are most likely hurting people. So we are to look for one another with an extra measure of love and grace. And that gives us the opportunity to extend the grace we received from God. Gentleness and humility being cultivated in our lives help us be more like Christ. And Christ’s love becomes more evident in us for His glory and praise.

4. Forgiveness enables us to be fruitful Christians.

We are allowing God to step in and takeover when we choose to forgive. It is a form of surrender. We surrender the desire to get even thus prohibiting our sinful nature to take part. And by doing so, we are acting out our salvation and cultivate the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Among them is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness and self-control. Surrender is never easy. But one thing for sure, it isn’t a sign of weakness but strength.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forebearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

5. You’re blessed when you forgive.

We often don’t realize how much being unforgiving ruin our intimacy with God, our relationship with others and hamper our spiritual growth. It erodes our well-being and leads to more pain and heartache if we choose to continue down this path. It creates a heavy burden that weighs us down more than anybody else. It affects our health, our line of thinking and everyone around us.

"Unforgiveness is like drinking a poison and expecting the other person to die."

6. Forgiveness restores broken relationships.

A broken and wounded relationship can only be restored by genuine forgiveness. Reconciliation may not happen at times but forgiveness is still possible without it. Getting the other person to change is not the point of forgiveness. Rather think how forgiving the other person could let you grow spiritually, give you peace and bring about healing. Remember, each of us heals differently. Some need more time than others so commit yourself to deal with it with patience, compassion and respect.

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up."(Romans 15:1-2)

7. Forgiveness sets you free.

God’s forgiveness sets you free from the bondage of sin and death. It has transferred you from the dominion of darkness to light. Likewise, when you choose to forgive, you are freeing yourself from the grip of hatred and lies. You are choosing freedom from its destructive results.

"And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."(Ephesians 5:2)