🤔 Ever wonder what forgiveness really means? It's not just something you create from your own heart — it comes from Jesus 

🙏 When you pray "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," that "as" is key. It means "in the same way."

💫 Your forgiveness and the forgiveness you extend to others both come from the same source — Jesus on the cross ✝️

💭 Think about it: Jesus died for everyone's sins — yours and the person who hurt you. When God forgives, it's complete.

🧹 Your sins don't just get reduced — they're erased entirely, "separated as far as east is from west." 🌎↔️🌏

❤️‍🩹 This matters because if you think forgiveness has to come from your heart, you'll always struggle.

🤷 How can you truly erase someone's debt to you when you're still hurting? You can't — but Jesus can! ✨

👀 When you look at the cross, you see two things:

1️⃣ Your sins are forgiven ✅

2️⃣ Your enemy's sins are forgiven too ✅

⚖️ The justice you're looking for already happened on the cross. Jesus took the punishment for everyone.

When your heart 💔 struggles to forgive, don't beat yourself up. Instead, look to the cross again. Remember that all forgiveness — both what you receive and what you share — comes from Jesus. ✝️

👭👬 This transforms people from enemies into brothers and sisters. We're joined together by the same gift of forgiveness. 💝

💪 So when you're finding it hard to forgive someone, remember: you don't have to create forgiveness from nothing. ⚫

Go to the cross ✝️, receive more forgiveness for yourself, and let that same forgiveness flow through you to others. 🌊

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Executive Director of Missions and Theology.

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #forgiveness