When someone gets hurt, the natural tendency is wanting the person who hurt you to pay you back and feel the same pain they caused you. However, choosing not to forgive hurts you more than you can imagine. Unforgiveness has spiritual and even health consequences. Proverbs 15:13 – A joyful heart makes a cheerful countenance, but sorrow of the heart crushes the spirit.
How can you forgive Someone Who Hurt You Emotionally?
Forgiving someone does not mean you condone what happened. You can forgive anyone if you chose to do so. Remember God would not ask you to do anything that you are unable to do. You can also forgive by the help of the Holy Spirit.
Forgiveness must start with a conscious decision
This means you make a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness.
- You may still feel pain You may still feel the effect of what they did
- Your act of forgiveness is your decision based on God’s word. By faith you release the person and you decide to release them you’re your heart and mind for what they did.
- You also trust God for his help to help you move on. The reason for this decision is because God commands you to forgive.
Ephesians 4:32 – 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Matthew 6:14-16 – Amplified Bible, Classic Edition – 14 For if you forgive people their trespasses [their [a]reckless and willful sins, [b]leaving them, letting them go, and [c]giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:15 – Amplified Bible, Classic Edition – 15 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their [d]reckless and willful sins, [e]leaving them, letting them go, and [f]giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses.
To forgive someone who hurt you emotionally, stop talking about what this person did
When you commit to forgive to move forward, keep moving forward
- Remember God never reminds us about anything we have done wrong. He is committed to his decision to never hold anything against us
- When one keeps repeating the past, it is like removing scabs from a wound, by doing this you will never let it truly heal
- Pray for the person and pray for yourself
3. To forgive someone who hurt you emotionally, remain committed to this decision
- Even if feelings come back up, instead of nurturing those feelings, spend time thanking God for his grace to never go back to the past
- Even if thoughts return, stay committed to the decision
Just like anything we do by faith, actions are important. Our actions are the proof of our faith. Matthew 5:44 – King James Version – 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Luke 6:27 – 28 7But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
To get more tips, check out this blog with this link: The importance of God’s Love