Forgiveness is so near God’s heart, that I am coming to believe more and more that our view and practice of forgiveness is symptomatic of our underlying view of God.
If you know God intimately (that God’s inclination is to lean toward love and mercy) you will be a person of forgiveness.
If your view of God is that he is unkind, vindictive, and ready to blow people up at a moment’s notice…you will struggle to forgive.
We are to forgive as God has forgiven us but if we don’t think God does that well, neither will we. The creation doesn’t rise above our perception of the character of the Divine. We won’t be nicer or kinder or more loving than God is. The problem is that many have a poor, unbiblical view of God.
The more we embrace forgiving others, the nearer to the heart of God we will be drawn as we experience with others some of what God has experienced…reconciliation, healing, wholeness in relationships, etc.
Here are a few more thoughts on the subject that I have prayed some of you will find blessing and encouragement from!