Bible Verses About Forgiveness and Healing

Forgiveness is a central theme in the Bible. It is the way our relationship with God begins and is at the foundation of the Christian faith. In this article, we’ll look at several Bible verses about forgiveness and healing. San Diego Christian Counseling can provide further insights and support as you explore these concepts in your own life.

The key to forgiving others is to stop focusing on what they did to you and start focusing on what God did for you – Max Lucado

Because of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden, we are all born with a sinful nature that alienates us from God. However, because of His great love for us, He sent Jesus to die on the cross as a propitiation for our sins so that “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).”

God offers us forgiveness through Jesus “not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy (Titus 3:5a). When we trust in Him and His gift of salvation, we are released from the penalty of sin and its power over us.

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. – Psalm 103:10-12, NIV

Forgiveness is one of the attributes of God and He expects His children to follow His example. Even though it is much easier to forgive another person when he or she apologizes or tries to make things right, we are to take the lead in offering forgiveness just as He did. God was the one who made the first move, even though His forgiveness was unearned, and reached out to us while we were still sinners, regardless of whether we would accept His gift of redemption or not.

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. – Romans 5:8-9, ESV

What forgiveness is and what it is not

Forgiveness is an act of obedience, a choice we make even when it feels hard. It’s a conscious decision to willingly let go of our anger and desire for retribution in favor of offering grace and goodness to the person who hurt us despite what they have done and whether or not they show remorse or admit their wrongdoing.

This act of grace we extend to the other person is as much for us, if not more so, than for the person we forgive. It’s not about getting him or her to change or admit their guilt, which is out of our control, but rather about focusing on what we can control in the here and now and refusing to let past hurts negatively shape our present and future.

Unforgiveness, on the other hand, takes an unnecessary toll on our physical and mental health, causing us to be the one who pays most dearly for it. An unforgiving heart will cause continued pain, eat us up on the inside, and ultimately destroy us.

Left to fester, anger, resentment, and hostility can lead to a bitter root that crowds out positive feelings and acts like an emotional poison that affects every area of our lives. We become so wrapped up in the wrong committed and the injustice of it that we are unable to enjoy the present, and it starts rubbing off on everyone around us as well. The only way to find freedom and liberty is to fully forgive the person who has wounded us.

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. – Hebrews 12:15, NIV

That said, when we forgive someone, it does not mean that we dismiss the pain; forget the offense; tolerate, excuse, or condone what was done; that there should not be any consequences for the person who committed the offense; or that we blindly open ourselves up to getting hurt again. Nor does it necessarily restore trust in our relationship with the other person.

What it does mean is relinquishing our right of payment for the wrong done, and letting go of any resentments, grudges, resentment, or bitterness that are keeping us tied to it so we can move forward with our life without wasting mental or emotional energy on unproductive rumination about the event that causes us to relive the offense over and over again.

The link between forgiveness and health

Holding on to anger and grudges can suffocate us and consume our lives, making us unable to eat, work, sleep, or think of anything else. It also leads to biological responses that are hazardous to our physical health, such as keeping us in a chronic state of fight-or-flight response that causes changes to our heart rate, blood pressure, and immune system, which in turn increases our risk of heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, cancer, and cognitive decline.

Forgiveness, on the other hand, has the opposite effect. It causes our body to relax, and transports us from a state of stress, anxiety, and resentment to one of peace of mind and a sense of physical well-being.

Studies have shown that people who forgive have slower heart rates, lower blood pressure, better sleep, and less stress, depression, or aches and pains than people who do not.

Six bible verses about forgiveness and healing

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. – Colossians 3:13, NIV

We are commanded to forgive others as an act of obedience to God and as a reflection of His forgiveness toward us.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. – Ephesians 4:31-32, NIV

The Apostle Paul commands us to shed our old harmful behaviors and act according to the new nature we have in Christ. He challenges us to replace bitterness and anger with kindness and empathy, and to extend the same forgiveness to others that God extended to us through Jesus Christ.

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. – Matthew 6:14-15, NIV

In this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us that our forgiveness from God is linked to our willingness to forgive others. We must forgive them before we ask God to forgive us. Forgiveness opens us up to receiving God’s forgiveness and healing, but holding on to resentment and grudges will hinder it.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times seven!” – Matthew 18:21-22, NIV

Forgiveness is not a one-time thing. Jesus emphasizes the necessity of continual forgiveness. There should be no limit to our willingness to forgive others, but rather we should be willing to extend the same grace to them as God extended to us.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34a, NIV

Jesus sets a supreme example of what forgiveness looks like by praying for those who were persecuting Him.

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. – Mark 11:25, ESV

We are called to extend the same forgiveness to others that God extended to us through Jesus Christ. When we extend the same grace and compassion we received from God we can experience the healing and freedom that results from letting go of resentment.

If you have questions about this article on Bible verses about forgiveness and healing or would like to set up an appointment to meet with one of the faith-based counselors in our online directory, please give San Diego Christian Counseling a call. We’re here to help you on your journey toward healing and understanding.