Why Should I Forgive?

While I had known that I must forgive others in order for God to forgive me, I had never thought deeply about  the “why?”  Here are two possible reasons:1.) If bitterness is lodged within me because someone offended me, then I can’t receive blessings from that person. Until I forgive the offender, that person still has power over me.   Spiritual release from that person through the process of forgiveness is imperative for healing and inner-peace.2.)  Bitterness is repressed vengeance. This attitude needs to be rooted out. (Heb. 12:15)  It is God’s job to bring justice and revenge, not man’s.God can’t do his job if he has to go through the unforgiving person (person A) to reach the offender (person B).  If person A is tied emotionally and spiritually to the offender (B) because of his harboring unforgiveness, two things happen.  One, God cannot access person B in order to “repay” him. Two,  Person A — the one holding onto unforgiveness — is playing God, a very tiring role to have.  But, as soon as person A forgives person B then God can access the offender and deal with him.  At that point person A can relax and experience peace and healing.It is important to remember that when you forgive someone, you are not letting them off the hook.  You are moving them from your hook to Jesus’s hook. In Christ,