Why Forgive God?

God does not need your forgiveness, He has never done anything wrong. However, learning to forgive God will help you in three major areas of your life. We forgive for our benefit…not for God’s benefit. This is the second article in a series of three concerning forgiving God. If you haven’t already, read the first article, “Does God Need Forgiving?”. You can read it Here.

If God doesn’t need forgiveness, then why do I need to forgive Him? Like I mentioned in “Does God Need Forgiving?”, we need to forgive God, not because He needs forgiveness, but because we need to have forgiven Him.

R.T. Kendall wrote a great book titled, “Totally Forgiving God,” and in that book R.T. gives serval reasons why we ought to forgive God. Three of those reasons are because unforgiveness affects our faith, affects our intimacy, and could impact the eternal.

I’m not advocating that this process is easy, nor am I suggesting what you’re going through, or went through, was trivial in the grand scheme of things. I understand it’s not easy and the situations we face in life are not trivial. All I ask is that as you read this article is remember God is good.

Faith

Augustine of Hippo once stated,

“Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.”

When we have all the answers, there’s no room for faith. Maybe sometimes, God doesn’t give you all the reasons why something has happened because He realizes when you have complete understanding there would be no room left for faith.

Understanding is the reward of faith. Faith does not come from understanding, but understanding comes through faith. Truth is, you might not receive that understanding until all is said and done, but in the mean time you’re able to cultivate and grow your faith by trusting God.

My Grandfather

In my article “Does God Need Forgiving?”, I wrote about when my grandfather passed away and how I became angry with God, wanting to know why God would heal so many people, but would let my own grandfather die…God did answer my question. He responded by directing me to Romans 8:18,

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

God so desired to be with my grandfather and so loved my grandfather He chose to end the suffering my grandfather was experiencing in order to revel His glory in a way unmatched by anything we’ll experience this side of Heaven.

I knew my grandfather gave his life to Jesus only a few years prior to his passing. What I didn’t know, until the day of the funeral, was the weeks leading up to my grandfather being admitted to the hospital, he was staying up late each night trying to read the Bible.

He couldn’t read very well because he had dropped out of school after 6^th grade to work in a lumber mill, but that didn’t stop him from seeking God. Maybe, God was answering my grandfather’s own prayer. I don’t know.

I still have several questions. Like, if you didn’t want my grandfather to suffer, why didn’t you just heal him and end the suffering with him still alive?

Maybe, if I knew the answer to all my questions, my faith would suffer as a result. I trust God is good and my grandfather is with Him experiencing the glory that surpasses all suffering. I do still miss him greatly and I doubt that will ever subside.

When You Forgive God You Develop Character

One reason R.T. Kendall gave for why we should totally forgive God is by forgiving God, we develop character. Helen Keller once said,

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”

I’m not suggesting God allows bad things to happen in order to develop our character; however, what I am saying is…when bad things do happen, we can take those events and use them to develop our character.

Walter Anderson said it best,

“Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.”

Each event presents an opportunity; an opportunity to become angry and critical or to grow our faith and strengthen our character.

Cultivating Faith

Faith cannot be grown in a vacuum away from life’s hardships. It’s life’s hardships nurtures and grows our faith.

Whether it be through unanswered prayers, death of loved ones, or any other stimuli that causes you to look up at Heaven with disdainful eyes and shout “why?”, there comes a time in each of our lives where we have the opportunity to be angry at God.

Each of these opportunities, small or great, bear the same promise of growth. You’ll either grow in faith and character or you’ll grow in anger and criticism. Jesus put it this way,

“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.” (Luke 16:10).

You’ll grow what you cultivate. Cultivate fear and you’ll become more fearful. Cultivate bitterness and you’ll become ever bitter. But if you decide to cultivate faith, you’ll grow and remain faithful.

We cannot cultivate good fruit without good soil. If you wish to grow a garden of bitterness and fear, you don’t need mine nor God’s help. Whatever soil you have will work fine.

However, if you wish to grow good fruit, then we must tend to the soil just as a farmer prepares his soil for sowing. Forgiving God is like adding organic soil for your soul.

The Four Types of Soil

When Jesus taught His disciples the importance of soil He spoke of four different types. Jesus stated,

“The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great. As He said these things, He would call out, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’” (Luke 8: 5-8).

No Soil

Here Jesus discussed four different conditions of soil. The first type of soil is no soil. When a person has no soil they have likely not been introduced to Jesus as their savior. They’ve never made the decision to follow Him. When a person has no soil, there is no capacity to receive the love of God as being from God.

Rocky Soil

This second type of soil is rocky soil. They’ve received the love of our father but they’ve not cleared out the garden. They still have all their destructive stuff. We need to remove all the rocks so we might have fertile soil.

Thorny Soil

The third type of soil is thorny soil. Thorns grow when we don’t tend the garden. Tending the garden is dealing with your stuff as it arises. Forgiving God when the opportunity arises is tending your garden. It helps not only keep your soil good, but also sows faith and character in good soil.

Good Soil

Finally, the last type of soil is good soil. Good soil is where good fruit grows and prospers. Good soil is organic…derived from living matter…derived from God Himself. It’s ever changing as you and God co-labor within your own life.

The Explanation

The parable of the sower is so important to Jesus that He explained the meaning. Jesus said,

“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.” (Luke 8:11-15).

We are to bear fruit with perseverance. Maybe, Jesus is hinting that life is not always going to be exactly the way we’d want it. If it was, why else would we need to persevere?

The seasons we fail to persevere and the seasons we begin developing unforgiveness against God are likely the same…so how do we persevere?

How to Persevere

I wish I had a simple answer. Looking at the words of Jesus, I’d suggest we remain honest and good in heart, keeping our soil organic…so when God speaks we’re able to hold it fast as we bear fruit with perseverance.

If we remain faithful with the little things, we’ll be faithful in larger ones as well. Therefore, if we learn to persevere in the small things, we’ll be able to endure the larger ordeals.

This process grows our faith has we maintain a life of forgiving God…simply deciding to trust God has a purpose…trusting in God’s goodness. I find it better that I try and grow in the small trials so I may weather the larger ones.

Job was Human

Reading the book of Job we discover how much of a hero he was during the beginning of his book. However, when the time comes we learn he’s merely human like the rest of us.

The difference is he made it through the small trials. The times his wife was asking him to curse God and his friends were against him. Because Job won in these small trials, he was able to overcome the larger ones.

In the end God gave Job back everything taken…in fact everything taken was returned doubled. But before the restoration took place, Job didn’t know, understand, or—I dare say—like, what God was doing.

R.T. Kendall summed it up this way,

“So, if you and I are maintaining lives of gratitude, faith, walking in the light, and totally forgiving our enemies, then we too will come through the worst of ordeals as Job did—even if our imperfections erupt in the meantime.”

Forgive God, because by doing so you’re allowing your faith and your character to grow, and…as a result…you become more intimate with our loving Father.

Intimacy

Intimacy is one opening themselves up for another to see them…to know them. To put it another way, intimacy is the ability to be weird in front of me and it be ok. As Danny Silk states it, intimacy means “into me you see” because I show you…because I trust you.

To be intimate with someone conveys a level of trust you wouldn’t have with another. Our intimacy with God rest on our trust in His integrity…our trust in His goodness, His faithfulness, His love.

Though we might not always understand God, our trust in His integrity ought to never waiver. We can trust God is good no matter what our circumstances might convey.

Unforgiveness blocks intimacy. Unforgiveness, at its core, screams “I can’t trust you.” Even if the other person is in the right. If I believed my roommate stole my television, though he didn’t…if I hold unforgiveness against him…I’d no longer trust him, our friendship would be in jeopardy.

The same is true with God. When we hold unforgiveness against God, essentially we are saying, “I no longer trust you.” Removing our trust in God hinders our relationship with Him. Our trust doesn’t simply disappear. Trust is transferred not destroyed.

Transferring Trust

When you no longer trust God you place your trust someplace else. Likely you’re placing your trust on yourself. For example, if you’ve been waiting on God to fulfill a promise and you just aren’t seeing it happen…maybe because of this tension, you harbor unforgiveness against God.

As a result you inevitably remove your trust. You’re no longer able to trust in God’s integrity. Though it might not be your intention, you’re actually saying, “God, I no longer trust you with the direction of my life; therefore, I’ll determine my own destiny and make sure I arrive there.”

When our trust leaves God and moves on to someplace else, it is not always to ourselves. Perhaps that trust now falls on your spouse and as a result, you end up trusting your spouse for something only God can provide.

News flash..if God is the only one able to provide something, then whoever else you trust to provide will fail. Your trust will be broken again. Therefore, when we no longer trust God, we also lose the ability to trust ourselves, those closest to us.

However, we can maintain healthy, strong, and intimate relationships with others and with God if we maintain our trust in Him…in His integrity. We maintain this trust in God by regularly offering Him forgiveness.

Psalm 28:7

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him” (Psalm 28:7).

Because God is good, faithful, and loving…because God is our Father…our hearts can rest and trust Him. He is a safe place in a dangerous world. We can trust Him and be intimate with Him. From that position of trust, we receive help.

Our hearts should rejoice and our mouths sings forth our thanks. Because of who He is we’re able to trust time Him, and our hearts and mouths follow in response.

Now picture what this verse could read if we insert a negative…if we insert our distrust.

The Lord was my strength and shield; my heart no longer trust in Him, and I…and my closet friends…are forced to help me; therefore, my heart grows cynical and my mouth shall accuse Him.

The first version of the verse (the real verse) brings hope, the second brings death…death to your relationships with others and death to your relationship with God. The first version flows from a place of forgiveness, where as the other springs forth out of unforgiveness.

Jesus is the Perfect Guide

At this point you might be looking for a picture. A picture of what this looks like. Well, you’re in luck. God provided the perfect picture as a guide. A guide that shows us what we’re going for, a guide that shows us what will become through the help of Holy Spirit. That guide or model is Jesus.

I remember, as a kid, working on puzzles with my mom. She was much better at them than I was. We would begin by propping up the cover of the box. This was our guide, this is what we were working towards. The puzzle always ended up looking just like the photo on the box.

I lacked the ability to do the puzzle myself; however, with the help of my mom I could. Truth is, she did most if not all of the work. Maybe the same is true with Holy Spirit.

Transformed into the Image of Jesus

Holy Spirit helps to transform us into the model, the picture of Jesus. Though this is not something we can do on our own…but we’re able to co-labor with God. Holy Spirit works in us helping us to place all the correct pieces in all the correct places.

One of those pieces is maintaining a posture of forgiveness to others and to God. Therefore, one reason to forgive God, is it helps us to become more like Jesus. Maybe the intimate relationship Jesus shared with the Father is the same level of intimacy we’re called to cultivate.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 AMP).

We’re being transformed into the image of Christ. His life is the model for ours. His life shows all that’s possible. The life of Christ is perfect theology.

The life of Christ is perfect theology.

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Jesus Spent Quality Time with God

Jesus was always took time to spend time with His Father. If it was important to Jesus…it’s probably important for us as well.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

This was something Jesus did very often.

“But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” (Luke 5:15-16)

Having a consistent and life-giving quit time is the most important habit you can cultivate in your Christian walk.

If you’re struggling having a consistent and life-giving quiet time, please consider taking the quiet time challenge. In the challenge I’ll teach the you the five things I do in every quiet time…plus you’ll get my free quiet time guide and an email a day to walk you through the process. Join the challenge and get my free guide.

Take the Quiet Time Challenge

Jesus Questioned God

Jesus never sinned. Hebrews tells us,

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15).

Jesus, who never sinned, still had a moment where He questioned God. While Jesus was on the cross, God turned His back on Him…if only for a moment…causing Jesus to ask “why.”

I don’t fully know why God turned His back on His son, but maybe it was because at that moment the sin of the entire world was on Jesus. Maybe God had to turn His back at that moment so He’d never have to turn His back on us. Maybe, having God turn His back was one more thing Jesus bore on our behalf.

Whatever the reason, “[a]bout the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Matthew 27:46).

If Jesus, who never sinned and is called to be our model, was able to ask God “why” I suggest it’s ok for us to do the same. We can ask God “why”; however, He’s not obligated to answer our question. There must still be room for faith…for trust. This room creates opportunity for intimacy.

Entrusting Ourselves to God

Paul stated it this way,

“For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:19-24) (emphasis added).

When your life seems unjust, you can find peace knowing God will judge righteously. Meaning, your time will come. Your petitions are not unheard.

Hope in God’s Promises

Paul wrote to the Romans saying,

“[with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]. Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5: 3-5 AMP).

Though situations may arise that cause us to ask God “why”, we must continue to cultivate an intimate relationship with our loving Father through forgiveness. God has forgiven you and maybe you also need to forgive Him. In doing so, you’ll find the peace that passes all understanding.

Eternal Perspective

Finally, another reason we ought to forgive God is simply because we’ll be so glad we did. Time does not end on the last day. Time stretches on into eternity.

We’ll spend more time in eternity then we’ll spend alive on earth…before the last day. Christians tend to forget that one day we’ll witness the greatest vindication of all time.

When Christ returns, every eye will see and every knew will bow before the Lord. In this moment God will clear His name. Everyone will see Him and He will vindicate His name. The veils will be taken off our eyes as mysteries unfold before us.

I like to think we will all have an “Aha!” moment as everything God has been blamed for is cleared, as the story is unfolded before us.

Giving God the Gift of Forgiveness

When this happens there’ll be somethings that will be too late to do. Accepting Christ is one and I believe forgiving God is the other. Maybe we will be able to forgive God at that moment, but how great is the gift when you have no choice to give?

We have the option now…today…to forgive God. The gift of our forgiveness is such a sweeter gift now then it’ll be in eternity. Today, when we forgive God, we cultivate intimacy with Him, we demonstrate our trust in His integrity, and become more like His Son.

These benefits become moot on the other side of eternity. If forgiving God is one way I can show my love for Him, I want to do it now…while I still can. Forgiveness is such a precious gift I want to give it to Him now while its a gift…instead of later when I’ll have no choice or capacity to forgive.

Winning the Race

Our reward for following God not only includes a life of grace and favor on this side of eternity, but includes eternity itself. I’m not sure how this all works, nor am I going to pretend to understand; however, I do know there are some who’ll receive rewards in Heaven. Paul instructs the following,

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Paul’s chief goal was gaining the reward, winning the prize, remaining faithful till the end. In running the race, Paul was placed in times where he had to forgive God. Why? Because it was God’s intention that Paul win the race.

Maybe winning the race requires faith and intimacy. Maybe winning the race requires we become transformed into the image of His Son. I like to think it does and maintaining a posture of forgiveness sows and nurtures the soil in our life so we produce this good fruit.

God is the Righteous Judge

Paul wrote to Timothy saying,

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4: 6-8).

We serve the righteous Judge. We’re able to place our trust in Him who judges righteously. Even though it makes absolutely zero sense to us in the moment, one day all verdicts will make perfect sense and there’ll be no allowance for appeals. We’ll understand and faith will no longer exists.

These rewards are for those who were able to trust Him, love Him, and forgive Him now. When you totally let God off the hook you’re able to long for, love, and welcome His glorious appearing.

Quoting Corrie ten Boom, R.T. Kendall writes,

“‘Forgiveness is an act of the will, but the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.’ What she meant by that is that we may not feel like forgiving those who have hurt us. You may not feel like forgiving God for what He has allowed that has hurt you so much. But if you equally know it is the right thing to do, I lovingly suggest to you: choose to do it.”

Conclusion

Why should we forgive God? We need to forgive God, not because He needs forgiveness, but because we need to have forgiven Him. Three reasons you need to forgive God is because unforgiveness affects our faith, our intimacy, and could impact the eternal.

We forgive for our benefit…not for God’s benefit. God does not need your forgiveness, He has never done anything wrong. However, learning to forgive God will help you develop character, grow in faith, grow in intimacy, and gives God an amazing gift, which can only be given this side of eternity.

It’s my prayer that you not only understand the need to forgive God, but that you also have the desire to forgive God. However, I understand there is probably a question flowing through your mind at this moment: “How?” The next and last article in this series address that very question, “How to Forgive God.”