Forgiving Cops

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

Matthew 6:14-15

Let’s talk some more about forgiving and how it relates to cops. Well, in this case, forgiving applies to us just the same as it applies to everyone else. It’s non-negotiable, and we can’t outwork it or fix it. We can’t stress how important the active process of forgiving is.

This is a gift from God, and we’ll not, and I repeat, we will not ever know freedom until we forgive those who have hurt us. Forgiving is about freedom. Your freedom; not the offender’s freedom.

Forgiveness gives you the power to break the chains that bound you into torment, anger, hatred, or the hell of victimization. God gives you the ability to regain power through surrendering to His command of forgiving.

Some see it as weakness, and that’s an unfortunate mistake. Forgiving is about having the authority to exercise control over your life. Part of that control is that once you have truly freed yourself from the hurt caused by someone, you now have the authority to determine the degree of relationship you’ll have with that person. 

Forgiveness does not even mean reconciliation unless you want it. But, unless you first forgive them, you will always be chained to them through their offense.

CALL TO ACTION:

Write out a list of the three people from work who you have hard or hurt feelings over. Let’s take it an honest step further; include anyone you hate. Yes, hate against others we work with runs rampant among the hero fraternity.

Now begin to pray that you forgive each person. You don’t have to tell those people that you forgive them unless you choose to, but what you must do is each day start to simply say, “God, I forgive _______ for______ .” 

Commit to praying this until the hate in your heart is removed.