April | Forgiveness
When we repent, God forgives us completely.
We are to forgive others the way that God has forgiven us.
Forgiving others allows us to be free from anger, bitterness, and resentment.
Valuable Verses
“But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9
“and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” Luke 11:4
“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13
“Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22
A Word of Encouragement
Forgiveness has two sides, like a coin. On one side, there are the times when we do wrong and want to be forgiven. We feel bad and disconnected from the person we wronged. The only way we can make it right again is when we admit what we did, turn away from it, commit to doing better the next time and ask for forgiveness. In our relationship with God, He immediately forgives us, lets go of our wrong and never brings it up again! Whew. When we are forgiven, everything just feels easier.
The other side of the coin is when we need to forgive someone else. When someone wrongs us, it can be hard for us to forgive. We feel wronged and betrayed. And they may not even say “sorry.” But, God still calls us to forgive. And you know what? When we let go of being right, forgiving others keeps us from getting stuck in the place of feeling hurt and helps us find joy again.
Get the Conversation Going
A great lesson on forgiveness can be found in Luke 15:11-32. Read this together and then answer the following:
• Who needed to be forgiven in the story? Who needed to forgive?
• Did the father wait to forgive his son until he asked for forgiveness? Or did he forgive him before he even came back? (hint: Would you run to meet someone you hadn’t forgiven?)
• How did the older brother react? How did it effect him?
Be sure to check the monthly activity page for age-appropriate ideas and ways to make forgiveness a priority.
