Offenses shut down communication and harden hearts. Compassion, though, will soften hearts and relationships can begin moving forward again.

I have often ministered to older people who are overtaken with arthritis so severely that they can hardly move. In the course of finding out when the crippling disease first took hold of them, I often discover it started shortly after an event where they became offended. They were offended by the unkind or unjust actions of another and allowed their feelings to dictate their decision not to forgive. In a short time, they sit like a prisoner unable to enjoy life as they once did. Offense is truly the work of the enemy to shut you down.

In Matthew 18 we read that the king allowed compassion to move him to forgive the debt that was owed him, while the servant he forgave was sent to prison for denying forgiveness. Many times we find ourselves unable to move forward in our ministry, business, or personal relationships. If things aren’t moving forward in your life, look and see if there is anyone who has offended you. If so, you need to forgive them.

Forgiveness has been greatly misunderstood. When you forgive someone you are not saying what they did is ok, you are saying they don’t owe you anything. When we hold on to the offense, everything is locked up as we wait for them to pay the debt they owe. I have known people who have waited 20 years for someone to apologize, and in the meantime they are locked up, unable to move forward in their own life.

Matthew 6:12 records that Jesus prayed: “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”
Forgiveness of your own sin hinges on you forgiving others. When you stop forgiving, everything stops.

Don’t wait until you feel like forgiving, forgive out of obedience to the Lord. More often than not, if you look at the person’s woundedness with compassion, you will see why they did what they did. Compassion is God’s way of keeping things moving. So, get things moving today in the Spirit: look around and see who you need to forgive.

Denise Boggs

Co-founder of Living Waters Ministry, Denise Boggs is passionate about healing and has a deep hunger for the Word of God. She is the author of over 20 workbooks and multiple small group curriculum. Denise has also written the full-length books, “Healing and Restoring the Heart”, “Restoring the Family”, and her newest released: “Breaking Free from Sickness and Disease”.

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