As we have seen the power of these principles worked out in our own lives, God has given us the opportunity to come alongside many other wounded pastors, ministry leaders, and people in all walks of life who are in torment because of unforgiveness. We have witnessed significant supernatural breakthroughs, and have found incredible joy in helping others forgive.

I think the main thing that people struggle with when they think about forgiving is the issue of justice. We hear it all the time: “There’s no justice, no peace.” Because there’s a concern that the person who wounded me needs to pay. There’s a debt that incurred because of that wound.

If you really want to know that you have forgiven, you bless them. If you cannot bless someone, you haven’t forgiven. Because blessing means I no longer want them to pay. Because Jesus has already paid! I want them to be blessed, because it is the kindness of God that brings us to repentance. So the way that you know you’ve forgiven is that yo’ve specifically dealt with the wounds and you’ve chosen to bless the person that inflicted them.

These words are just a sample of what we heard from the people during our trip to Europe. God continued to bless the Forgiving Forward ministry throughout our recent trip where we spoke 10 times, delivered an all day seminar, and coached multiple people over 15 days.

God began dealing with my Dad’s relational issues, particularly with his father. My grandpa didn’t change, but my Dad’s heart did. Through forgiveness, God gave Dad a love for his father which came out of God’s love for them both. You see, forgiven people forgive people!

Why do we celebrate Easter? Most people today have at least a vague understanding of the story line, but do they know why it happened? Why did Jesus choose to be crucified on Friday and then rise from the dead that Resurrection Sunday?

At the first Christmas, God gave grace to the world and called us to give grace to our world. Forgiveness is why Jesus came into the world. Forgiveness is why we were left in the world. We are called to forgive every wound we’ve suffered. Why? Because the blood of Jesus covers all sin, including the ones that wound me.. and you.

Trying to manage our life on our own is futile. When we abide we bear a lot of fruit, when we don’t abide we bear no fruit. Abiding is simply staying constantly connected and desperately dependent on Jesus. Everything in our Christian life flows out of abiding.

The shift occurred when the realization began to spread through the room that if forgiveness does not work in the extreme, it doesn’t work in the common. The blood of Jesus is enough for everything.

Focusing on the cause of the wound, as logical as that may seem, never solves the problem. The only solution is finding a way to settle the debt caused by wounds historically inflicted. Which means the only solution is the Cross of Jesus Christ.