Can I forgive those who have hurt me?

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Can I forgive those who have hurt me or wronged me? This is a big question and a big challenge to us, because we have all experienced the pain or rejection, broken relationships and people hurting us? Jesus tells a story that makes it clear that God cannot forgive us all the wrong things we have done, if we do not forgive other people. However, in many other teachings Jesus shows us that when we know that God has forgiven us, it releases His power in us, which enables us to forgive others. After watching Jesus’ teaching on the video link, please listen to Nerissa’s powerful story of how God helped her to forgive her family after they had been very unkind to her.

Watch and listen to Jesus' teaching on forgiveness and his challenging story

The video clip comes from the Lumo Project (www.lumoproject.com)

Matthew 18:21-35

Read the story Jesus told about the importance of forgiving people

Matthew 18:21-35 (NIV)

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’
22 Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 ‘Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 ‘At this the servant fell on his knees before him. “Be patient with me,” he begged, “and I will pay back everything.” 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go.
28 ‘But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. “Pay back what you owe me!” he demanded.
29 ‘His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, “Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.”
30 ‘But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 ‘Then the master called the servant in. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 ‘This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’