Psalm 51
Forgiveness is so counter-intuitive. When someone wrongs me, my natural inclination is not to forgive and forget. Instead, I tend to become angry and resentful. Perhaps, this reaction is my mind’s way of protecting me from future disappointment and emotional pain. After all, anger and resentment cause me to distance myself from the person who has breached my trust in some way, which decreases the likelihood of him or her causing more pain. That is, the more relational distance, the less likely I’ll get hurt.
God, however, does not want us to harbor anger and resentment, distancing ourselves from the people around us; He wants us to forgive. What exactly does this mean, though? Well, David’s plea for forgiveness in Psalm 51 gives us an idea. After he intentionally rebelled against God and took Bathsheba, David begged God to “blot out his rebellion,” “wash away his guilt,” and “turn His face away from his sins.” God, in response, forgave him: “The Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die” (2 Samuel 12:13-14).
God wants us to forgive each other just as He has forgiven us: “Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must forgive” (Colossians 3:13). Let God’s Spirit, not your flesh, guide you when people hurt you intentionally or accidentally. Forgive them by “blotting out” or “turning your face away from” what they’ve done to you.