Friday
07-10-2026
By: Brenda
“Forgiving, Loving, and Judging”
1. “Forgiving” does not mean forgetting.
The heart of forgiveness is obedience to God, not erasing memory.
We forgive because Christ forgave us, and because holding on to hurt keeps us from growing.
Forgiveness is not pretending it never happened. It is choosing not to bring it up again as a weapon.
When we forgive, we release the right to keep replaying the offense. We lay it down before God and refuse to carry it any longer.
But forgiving does not always mean returning to the same situation.
Sometimes God calls us to step forward, not backward.
There are relationships where trust has been broken, patterns have been harmful, or the season has simply changed.
We may not be who we used to be to each other anymore and that is part of growth.
Forgiveness says: “I release what hurt me, and I choose peace. I move forward with God.”
2. “Loving” our enemies and praying for those who persecute us.
Jesus’ command is clear: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you.”
This love is not the warm affection we give to those close to us. It is obedient love, love that chooses righteousness over reaction.
Often, the one persecuting us is our enemy.
But Jesus never asked us to feel affection for them. He asked us to pray for them, wish them no harm, and refuse to repay evil with evil.
This kind of love says: “I will not hate you.
I will not curse you. I will not seek revenge. I will pray for your soul.”
3. “Judging” this is the trap that pulls us away from “Love and Forgiveness.”
Judging is where many of us stumble.
We see a wrong, and we say, “They are going to pay for what they did,” and then we name the punishment.
But the moment we do that, we step out of love, out of forgiveness, and out of obedience.
We can acknowledge the truth:
“What they did was horrible, vile, and deeply wrong.”
We can say: “They will stand before God one day, just as I will.”
But we can not name their punishment.
That belongs to God alone.
God is their Judge, our Judge, their Father, and ours.
God sees the whole story. God knows every detail. God alone decides the outcome of eternity.
Our responsibility is simple: Keep our own walk clean. Keep our relationship with God strong. Keep our obedience steady. Keep our hearts free from bitterness, revenge, and self‑appointed judgment.
Oh, how God loves us ❤️
Dear Father in heaven,
Thank You for Your mercy that covers us.
Teaches us, and leads us.
Help us forgive as You have forgiven us, not by forgetting, but by releasing.
Help us love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, even when our hearts feel wounded.
Keep us from judging, Father.
Remind us that You alone are the righteous Judge.
Strengthen our walk, purify our motives, and keep our hearts aligned with Your Word.
In Your Son’s precious name, Amen.
Have a blessed day
God loves you ❤️
and so do I ❤️
Forgiveness is one of the hardest things for many of us to do. Once we let go of the pain and emotions, and we understand that we real growth comes through tragedy, suffering, having to climb that steep mountain…just keep climbing, don’t look back, and pray for those who have wronged you in any way; if you do this, the reward is beyond understanding.