10 Powerful Quotes on Forgiveness

I don’t know about you but I find my fleeting days on earth extremely tough at times. I admit that my own journey as a sojourner in this world, that is not my home, can be trying and exhausting.

In our mission field, I meet extremely good-natured people and occasionally, I encounter difficult ones–ones who do not comprehend intentionally where I am coming from–the ones whom I expect to be apologetic for having said or done something that hurt me but are not. What am I supposed to do then?

It is undeniable that the Adversary (the devil) can tempt me to dwell in despondency, stir the bitter thoughts in my heart and make me sulk in one corner. I feel like this area of my life is what he attacks most often especially when I decide to be more committed to praying for people in my life (i.e. my family, friends, fellow-workers in the ministry, and faithful life mentors). He knows that I find it hard to pray when I am hurt and when I hold a grudge against another.

The Holy Spirit, however, urges me to:

• renew my mind, recall God’s forgiveness, and be reminded that He commands me to forgive others as He has forgiven me (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:32). 
• remember that Satan is simply using other people to distract me from my focus on loving the people Jesus loves dearly (1 Peter 5:8).
• let go of the situation and let Him deal with the people who offended me. (Romans 12:19)

Since I am well aware that Satan’s goal is to play with an idle mind, which is his workshop, I made an effort to fill my quiver with ten powerful quotes on forgiveness. Along with the Scriptures, I hope that this quotes-filled quiver I am about to share with you will equip you to forgive others easier, just as it did to me.

1. “It is nobler to forgive and let the offense pass. To let an injury rankle in your bosom and to meditate revenge is to keep old wounds open and to make new ones. Better forget and forgive.” – Charles H. Spurgeon.
2. “We are to forgive so that we may enjoy God’s goodness without feeling the weight of anger burning deep within our hearts. Forgiveness does not mean we recant the fact that what happened to us was wrong. Instead, we roll our burdens onto the Lord and allow Him to carry them for us.” – Dr. Charles Stanley
3. “Don’t get impatient with others. Remember how God dealt with you – with patience and gentleness.” – Oswald Chambers
4. “Holding a grudge doesn’t make you strong; it makes you bitter. Forgiving doesn’t make you weak; it sets you free.” – Dave Willis
5. “Nothing in the Christian life is more important than forgiveness-our forgiveness of others and God’s forgiveness of us.” – John F. MacArthur
6. “Forgive others even if they don’t deserve it.” –Elizabeth George
7. “If I say, ‘Yes, I forgive, but I cannot forget,’ as though the God, who twice a day washes all the sands on all the shores of all the world, could not wash such memories from my mind, then I know nothing of Calvary love.” – Amy Carmichael
8. “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” – Corrie Ten Boom
9. “Choosing to forgive always honors God.” – Lysa Terkeust
10. 

Since forgiveness of our sins is one of the greatest gifts God has ever given us, forgiving our offenders is not only the best gift we could give them but most of all, to ourselves.

God knows the paths of our journey ahead of us. He knows that random people could offend, betray or hurt us. Let us praise God for Jesus has set us an example of forgiveness and prayer for the Father to “forgive them [our offenders] for they do not know what they are doing.”

How do you process your pain or hurt? What are the quotes on forgiveness you find freeing? Kindly share them with me and our readers so we could enjoy our journey with a peaceful heart.