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How Can I Forgive When I Hurts So Much? Questions for reflection and discussion

Compare the descriptions of Christian community in Romans 12:9-21 with Colossians 3:12-17. How is forgiveness central to Christian community?

Read Mark 11:25, Ephesians 4:32, and Colossians 3:13. What is the Christian’s primary motivation for forgiveness?

The apostle Paul ends his admonition to forgive one another with the command, “Be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15) What is the relationship between forgiveness and gratitude? See also Luke 7:47.

Romans 12:19 reads, “Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for (God’s) wrath.” How is forgiveness not the same thing as “shrugging off offense”? Read Romans 12:19 thru 13:5. How does this passage balance forgiveness with God’s justice? What are possible means of God’s justice (vengeance) in this passage?

Who is someone who has offended you, and you need to forgive? What was the offence? To what degree has God forgiven your offense before Him? (Colossians 1:22) What is God calling you to do in response to this study? What is your next step?

How Can I Forgive When I Hurts So Much? Questions for Discussion and Reflection

What do the following examples of reconciliation in Scripture reveal about reconciliation between people?

Genesis 33:4—

Genesis 45:1-5—

Joshua 22:10-34—

John 21:15-17—

Acts 9:26-28—

1 Corinthians 7:11—



What is the relationship between reconciliation and forgiveness? (Romans 5:6; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; 21 and Ephesians 2:13, 16)