Day 4, March 9

“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” –Luke 23:34

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14–15 NLT)

When we forgive those who have wronged us, often the most prominent transformation is deep within our own souls. Remarking on these verses, Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Anger glances in the bosom of wise men: it only burns in the heart of the foolish. May we quench it, and feel that we do freely, and fully, and heartily forgive, knowing that we are forgiven.” Someone once described anger as holding a burning coal in your hand in hopes of hurting the other person; the same is true when we fail to forgive.

Practice the art of forgiveness today, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you in unclenching the fist that has closed tightly through failure to forgive another. Moving forward, seek to make forgiveness something you do freely, fully, and heartily.

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