March blog 2026

Forgiving others who hurt you is one of the most challenging and most Christ-like things we are called to do. When someone wounds us, the pain can feel justified, even righteous. Yet Scripture consistently points us toward forgiveness, not because the hurt was small, but because God’s grace toward us is immeasurably greater.

In Ephesians 4:32 we read, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Our forgiveness flows from the cross.  Jesus Christ forgave those who mocked, betrayed, and crucified Him. He did not excuse sin, but He chose forgiveness over revenge. Forgiveness does not mean pretending the hurt did not happen. It does not even always necessarily mean instant reconciliation or the removal of healthy boundaries. Rather, it is a decision, sometimes repeated daily, to release the right to retaliate and to entrust justice to God.

Unforgiveness quietly chains us to the past. Forgiveness, by contrast, frees the heart. It restores peace, reflects Christ’s character, and opens the door for healing. As we remember how much we have been forgiven, we find strength to extend that same grace to others. This is a challenging message for us. It is a forgoing of hitting out. It feels like it is going against the grain. Yet if we don’t, we find we are damaged twice: Firstly, by the initial hurt and secondly by our unwillingness to move past or release it to God.

May we as individuals remember the unmerited forgiveness we received at the cross of Christ. May we never lose the wonder of the cross! May Breakthrough Church be marked not by grudges, but by grace.

Love in Christ 

Pastor John