Question. If you were still harboring resentment, anger and bitterness against someone who sinned against you long in the past and they died before you genuinely wanted to forgive them is there a path in forgiveness you can take to God in prayer? Or is it a lost cause and just something I’m going to have to account for with God when it’s my time? The Person was not a believer and neither was I at the time the transgression took place not that that matters.
True forgiveness is impossible on our own. We have a solution. As always, it is found only in Jesus. He lives to make intercession for us. We can ask Him to forgive those who have offended on our behalf. He set the precedent when He asked God the Father to forgive those who crucified Him.
I've been saved 50 years. Years ago, there was much talk about inner healing. I discovered what that meant. It is the process of forgiving every person every hurt or offence that they've caused. I still get offended from time to time. I still ask Lord Jesus to forgive on my behalf, as if He were me. Then I ask Him to work His forgiveness into my heart so that there is no hurt attached to the memory of the offence.
It works. My ex wife changed address and refused to tell me where she'd gone. I did not see my kids for 15 years. The first few months were torture. I had help from a friend who had suffered similarly. He told me the secret. I prayed as he suggested. Peace came on me from then on.
15 years later, the Lord led me to find my ex wife. When I met her, I had no hostility at all. A few of us got together and cleaned up the place she was living. She moved again after a while so I rarely see her. I'm entirely neutral about this. That's something beyond human ability. I take no credit. All glory to Jesus!
Unforgiveness puts us in a kind of prison. In Jesus, we can be set free.
It does not matter if the offence is old or recent. If you are troubled, take it to the Lord as I've suggested. He delights to help us in our weakness.
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