There are many people who live bitter and with hatred in their hearts, for the simple fact of not forgiving, they walk through life in darkness. A few days ago I read a moving story of a woman whose father died and who has a long time with problems. Her father had called her several times; but she, because of her pride, had not heeded her call. A few days later, his father dies without having a meeting with him. The woman now lives with a lot of pain in her heart..
Living with resentment is like walking in darkness, that is how we read it in the word of God. We walk through life with an open wound that does not heal, that continues to bleed and that runs the risk of becoming infected and compromising other organs.
There is no greater sense of tranquility than to ask for forgiveness. The wounds are closed and the soul and the heart are relieved.
1 John 1: 6-9
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and we do not practice the truth;
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God is light and there is no darkness in Him. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in light, as He is in light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
There are two sides in the world, the dark that represents the darkness and the clarity that is the light of God. Every person who is in darkness and receives Christ, sees the light; but when he has gone back, he seems to be in even greater darkness, sometimes more, than the unbeliever who has not known the light of Christ. Since the blind of this world are accustomed to darkness.
Source
2 Corinthians 4: 4
4 in which the god of this world blinded the understanding of the unbelievers, lest they shine forth the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, which is the image of God.
God forgives us from all sin through the blood of Christ. There could be no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. As God's law insists that the penalty for your sin is death, Jesus, the only man without sin, had to suffer to save us from our sins and bring us back to God. It is only through the blood of Jesus that we are cleansed from sins. We are justified by the blood of Christ. This is the part of God in the work of redemption.
Ephesians 4:32
32 But be kind to one another, merciful, forgiving one another, as God also forgave you in Christ.
Why should we forgive?
God's love forgives, where would we be without a forgiving God? A forgiving spirit is what we should have in our hearts, even before the other person says he is sorry, Jesus taught us that if you do not forgive your brother you will not be forgiven by your Father who is in heaven.
Lucas 6:37
Judge not, and you shall not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Let us always be the first to forgive, even if it is the other person who is at fault. You are responsible before God for restoring broken relationships, no matter who is at fault or the times others have been unfair to you.
If we decide not to forgive, then God can not forgive us. Only forgiveness will open the channel for faith to operate in our hearts. Forgiveness is an essential requirement before we can approach Two in prayer. If we allow negative affirmations or painful actions of others to corrode us, we give Satan an entrance into our life. We can be released from this by forgiving the people involved, no matter what reason we have or how wrong they are.
By forgiving others we allow God to restore us and heal us. Bitterness is a weapon of Satan, so do not let it take root. Bitterness is any thought, word or deed, other than forgiveness, that comes from a wound.
What should we do when a brother sins against us?