01/06/2026
So what do we mean by the word “forgiveness”? "Forgiveness has nothing to do with the perpetrator,” says Mike Snodgrass, an Emerge counselor, “but it has everything to do with the victim. It can be given whether the perpetrator has asked for it or not.”
This act of forgiving, then, is not just a feeling we strive towards, but a type of giving – a gift, a gift of grace. It has little to do with our feelings and much to do with our faith. To take that step of faith, it helps to consider what Biblical forgiveness is and is not.
The person who waits until they “feel” like forgiving is in for a long ordeal. Forgiveness is a decision born out of a heart and mind dependent upon God, his Word, his Ways and his Will. So, the next time you are hit with a big HURT, remember to name the offense; call it what it is. Remember that forgiveness is not a feeling; it’s a decision. It is not a matter of emotion first and foremost, but one of will and of choice. And remember forgiv-en people are forgiv-ing people.
