How To Forgive Even When It Feels Like You Can't

Pain is so real that often we find it hard to forgive. Because somehow, what others may have done to us caused significant damage in our lives that created scars and wounds we thought were impossible to heal. But with God, nothing is impossible.

The Angry Birds Game

Pastor and author Herbert Cooper discusses the issue of unforgiveness in the 700 Club Interactive Christian program. He shares a powerful message relating unforgiveness with the game “Angry Birds.”

Forgive

Apparently, the game’s premise is that the birds are angry with the pigs because they stole their eggs. Hence, the bird flies into bricks, walls, and steel to get revenge and bring back their eggs from the pigs.

“But when they fly into the buildings, the buildings fall on top of them. And the birds end up dying themselves,” the pastor remarked.

In addition, whenever the birds successfully beat the pigs, the game goes to the next level.

“That’s a lot like life because we get hurt, and wounded, and battered, and disappointed in life,” Herbert said. “And we can respond like angry birds. We try to retaliate and get even, and hurt the people who have hurt us.”

Then he concluded, “And we end up just going to another level of bitterness, and anger, and rage, and hostility.”

How To Forgive

The pastor stressed how we, ourselves, too often do the same thing “but only end up hurting ourselves.”

Further, he highlighted Matthew 6:14-15 in the Scripture where Jesus said, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

“When we forgive others, God moves our direction with His healing power, with His grace, with His presence,” Herbert added.

Finally, he urged people to choose to forgive even when it feels like they can’t.

“When we forgive, it creates but God moments. We’re wounded, but God heals us.”

How to Forgive... Even When it Feels like You Can't