Whether or not people will hurt us is not in contention; that will happen from time to time. The issue here is our ability to forgive and let go.

No matter how good a person seems to be or how close they are to you, that person is likely to hurt or wrong you, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Humans are imperfect beings, and that imperfection can rub off on us. Therefore, it’s expected that someone will hurt or wrong us at some point.

We must cultivate the art and kindness of forgiveness. If we humans are prone to wrongdoing, imagine fifty people hurting you, and you decide not to forgive them. If you hold grudges and allow even more people to hurt you without forgiving, you will realize that your unforgiveness is doing more harm than good. You are holding back so much, and your peace is definitely threatened.

No wonder, when they asked Jesus how many times they should forgive a person, He answered, 

“I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22, NKJV). 

He understood how prone humans are to uncountable faults that can affect others. By saying we should forgive a person 490 times, He emphasized the essence of endless forgiveness.

You have to cultivate the art of forgiving and forgetting, both for yourself and for others. Stop holding back and let go of the hurt. No matter how grave the offense is, do your best, with God’s help, to forgive and forget the wrong that was done to you.

Keep in mind that Jesus loves and forgives us. Every day we likely wrong Him, knowingly and unknowingly, yet He still loves us and comes through for us each time we call on Him.

So, if the Master of Heaven and Earth forgives, then who are we, the servants, not to forgive?

The Bible tells a story about a servant who owed his master a large sum of money, and the master forgave him (Matthew 18:23–27, NKJV). Later, another person owed this servant something, but the servant was cruel to him. When the master heard of this, he condemned the servant’s actions(Matthew 18:28–30, NKJV). This illustrates that God will not forgive a person who refuses to forgive their neighbor.

The Bible says in the Lord’s Prayer,

And forgive us our sins, just as we forgive those who sin against us (Matthew 6:12, GNT)

To receive God’s forgiveness, we must forgive others.

Let go of that hurt. No matter how severe the pain is to you. I understand it can feel overwhelming. But forgive. Unforgiveness costs you dearly; it brings bad energy, insufficient peace, and opens the door to more issues like bitterness, grudges, malice, and revenge.

Let go, friends. Forgive and forget. Leave the matter for God to judge. Forgive and absolutely move on.