In this verse of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us a profound truth: our prayer life is linked to forgiveness. If we are struggling to forgive others or accept forgiveness ourselves, we will struggle to cultivate the prayer life that Jesus modelled.
Receiving God’s forgiveness is tied to our willingness to forgive others. This
is not a matter of earning forgiveness by our actions but rather a call to live in the grace we’ve been given. When we grasp the extent of our own need for mercy, we are moved to extend that same mercy to others.
To forgive someone who has wronged us can be incredibly hard. It can feel unjust, painful, or even impossible. But Jesus reminds us that forgiveness is not just a gift we receive, it’s also a gift we give. When we forgive, we
are freed from bitterness, resentment, and the weight of anger. We imitate Christ, who forgave even as he hung on the cross.
Unforgiveness keeps our hearts bound. But when we forgive, we reflect the very nature of God. It doesn’t mean forgetting the hurt or pretending it didn’t matter. It means choosing love over revenge and grace over judgment. And when we do, we discover peace, healing, and the joy of restored relationships, not
always with others, but always with God.
Is there someone in your life you are struggling to forgive?
How has God’s forgiveness toward you shaped the way you see others?
What steps can you take today toward offering or seeking forgiveness?
Reflections by Joe Taylor
