Forgiveness and Restoration

“Be kind and compassionate to one another,

forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32

 

Forgiveness is not restoration.

Forgiving an individual does not always mean a relationship is restored to the place it was before the offense.

Sometimes it is not practical or possible for restoration to take place.

This past Sunday we heard a poignant testimony from a man who held unforgiveness in his heart toward his father.  

Long after his father had died this man’s bitterness, hurt and unforgiveness remained.

He shared a letter he wrote (as if to his dad since it was no longer possible to deliver it) forgiving him for the offenses he had committed in raising him.

Through teaching and a work of the Holy Spirit he was able to forgive his dad.

While restoration of the relationship with his dad was no longer possible there was no doubt that he had forgiven his father.

That forgiveness was evident, not only to those with whom he shared his testimony but to his siblings who had been at the receiving end of his anger and hurt over the years.

Can you forgive someone and have a relationship restored?

Yes, without a doubt.

But one does not guarantee the other.

Maybe you have held on to unforgiveness because you could not see yourself walking with that person in the same way you did before the offense.

Don’t allow that to keep you in the chains of unforgiveness.

We were given a definition for forgiveness that addresses well this point.

Forgiveness is when you choose to surrender your right to hurt that person who has hurt you.

It may well be that you forgive them and simply move on.

Perhaps you forgive them but they do not forgive you.

Commit that to God and leave the work of restoration to Him should it be possible.