Grace. Mercy. Love. Sounds like a recipe that’s needed in forgiveness, right? It’s impossible to go through life and not have our feelings hurt. It doesn’t just end when we become an adult, either. I have found that the sting hurts just as much now that I’m a grown woman as when I was a kid.

I have someone in my life, a dear, close friend of mine, who hasn’t spoken to me in a year. I don’t know why, but God does. And you know what? I may never know the reason why, and I have to be OK with that.

So, in the meantime, I keep praying for this person and whatever her needs are. I pray for her children. I remember them in prayer daily.

The Lord knows all things. He sees our hurt. He sees our pain. He knows our hearts. God can heal friendships. He can heal all things. There are life lessons and seasons that we all go through in life. While some doors will remain open … others may close.

We may not understand, but He does. We may feel hurt, but we must forgive. There’s healing through forgiveness. Don’t carry the burden of anger, hurt, or bitterness. It’s too heavy. It just weighs us down. That’s what the evil one wants. He wants us to feel so weighed down that we can’t get back up.

With the help of the Lord, we can reach out, take His hand and get back up. We need to pray for those who hurt us. He will help us to show grace, mercy, love … and forgiveness will follow. There’s healing that happens in forgiveness. It’s not only what God wants us to do, but it helps heal the heart and soul.

Is there someone in your life that needs your forgiveness? Today is the perfect day to ask God to help you.

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.