Forgiving Mercifully
The Mercy Series – Post 4
By Jennifer Greene-Sullivan
If we revisit the first Beatitude—
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3 ESV)
—we are reminded that Jesus was speaking to all of us. Every single person who has ever drawn breath is spiritually bankrupt without Him. We are the poor in spirit—the ones in desperate need of redemption.
And here’s the hard truth:
We didn’t earn His mercy.
We didn’t deserve His forgiveness.
Yet, He gave it anyway.
That same mercy we’ve received is not meant to stay with us. It’s meant to move through us—especially when it comes to forgiveness.
Forgiving mercifully isn’t just a nice idea. It’s a Kingdom requirement.
“As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Colossians 3:13 ESV)
Jesus didn’t say, “Forgive the ones who deserve it.”
He didn’t say, “Wait until they apologize.”
He said: forgive.
Because no one deserved the mercy we’ve been given, yet—we’re still called to give it to others.
Luke 23:34 (ESV)
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
There’s a story I could tell here.
A wound I could describe.
However, the Lord has made it clear: this moment is not for exposing anyone else’s failure, but for laying down my own pain at His feet.
The truth is—I’ve been hurt.
NOT just by a stranger or a passing offense, but by someone I deeply love.
I’ve carried the weight of that wound silently, asking the Lord over and over again:
“How do I forgive when it still aches?”
His answer?
“Give Me the go ahead.”
Let Me into the place where the bitterness hides.
Let Me touch what you’ve tried to protect.
Let Me be the one who untangles the ache so mercy can flow again.
Forgiveness is not forgetting.
Forgiveness is freedom.
Giving God the go ahead is the first step toward it.
Loving and forgiving mercifully isn’t a box we check once and move on with our lives because it’s an ongoing act of obedience—a holy practice for daily life.
Some days, it’s forgiving the small offenses: the snide comment, the forgotten thank you, the silent treatment.
Other days, it’s facing the unthinkable: betrayal, abuse, abandonment, rejection.
Yet… the call doesn’t change.
Forgive mercifully. Love anyway. Let the Lord handle the justice.
Whether the wound is slight or soul-deep, the command to FORGIVE remains—not because God minimizes our pain, but because He knows what bitterness will do to us if we keep it. He knows that true freedom begins when we say:
“Lord, I don’t feel it yet, but I’m giving You the go ahead.”
I’m choosing to release what I can’t carry. I’m choosing mercy—not because they deserve it, but because You gave it to me first.
Peter’s Redemption: A Reflection on Merciful Forgiveness
Peter’s story isn’t just one of restoration after failure; it’s a story of mercy before the fall. Jesus knew Peter would deny Him, and still—He called him to walk on water.
He brought him into intimate spaces. He washed his feet. Jesus warned him of the coming test, not to shame him, but to prepare him.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
(Luke 22:31–32, ESV)
Even before Peter fell, Jesus had already spoken mercy over him, and after the resurrection, Jesus came back—not just to forgive Peter but to recommission him. YES!! Hallelujah.
“Feed My sheep.” (John 21:17)
Jesus gave Peter the go-ahead to be restored. Peter, in return, gave Jesus the go-ahead to rebuild him, and from that place of merciful forgiveness, Peter stepped forward—not in shame but in Spirit-filled power.
Peter preached boldly. He healed the sick. He ministered to the poor in spirit, and he carried the Gospel with authority because he knew firsthand the mercy of Jesus.
Forgiving mercifully is not weakness.
It’s not naivety. It’s the all knowing merciful forgiveness of Jesus.
It’s the boldness of Peter.
The humility of a disciple.
The power of the cross.
The whisper of the Holy Spirit saying:
“Give Me the go-ahead—I will help you forgive, and I will help you walk it out.”
🌿 Back to the Beginning: Giving God the Go Ahead
How do we find purpose and power in mercy and in forgiveness? We give HIM the GO AHEAD! When we give God the go ahead, we’re not just inviting Him to heal a single wound— we’re giving Him permission to enter the layers of our trauma, our misunderstandings, and the silent pain we’ve tucked away for years.
He doesn’t rush because He simply peels back each layer with mercy. He cuts away the bitterness. He prunes the pride. He uproots the lies we’ve believed about ourselves and others, and in their place—He plants seeds of mercy.
Merciful forgiveness isn’t weakness.
It’s the fruit of a heart that’s been tended by the Vinedresser Himself.
“Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
(John 15:2, ESV)
When we let Him tend to the garden of our hearts, forgiveness begins to sprout.
Love begins to bloom, and our very demeanor begins to change—
in how we love, in how we respond, and in how we show mercy even when it’s hard.
So, once more:
Give God the go ahead.
Let Him do the deep, holy work.
Because the mercy He shows us… is the mercy He wants to grow through us.
🙏 Prayer
Dear Father,
You see every wound, every layer of misunderstanding, and every emotion I’ve buried out of fear or pride. Today, I give You the go ahead. Enter the places I’ve guarded. Peel back the pain, prune the bitterness, and plant something new in me.
Help me to forgive mercifully—not just in word, but in heart. Not just once, but as a way of life. Let Your mercy shape how I speak, how I love, and how I live. Just like Peter, help me to walk in the calling You’ve given me—not in shame, but in Spirit-filled purpose.
In Jesus’ merciful name,
Amen.
✨ Challenge This Week: Living the Mercy
- Give God the go ahead in prayer—tell Him the specific place you’re struggling to forgive. Make a list and date it!
- Write a letter you may never send—just to process the pain and release it to God.
- Replace a reaction with mercy—in a conversation, in traffic, in a hard moment.
- Meditate on Colossians 3:13 and ask the Holy Spirit to help you live it out.
📖 Scripture Study: Forgiving Mercifully
🌿 Matthew 5:3 (ESV)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
→ A reminder that we are all in need of mercy before we ever extend it.
🌿 Colossians 3:13 (ESV)
“…as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
→ The call to forgive is based on the mercy we’ve already received.
🌿 John 21:15–17 (ESV)
→ Jesus restores Peter by asking three times, “Do you love Me?” and then commissions him: “Feed My sheep.”
→ Forgiveness leads to purpose.
🌿 Luke 22:31–32 (ESV)
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you… but I have prayed for you… and when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
→ Jesus’ mercy was already working before Peter’s fall.
🌿 John 15:2 (ESV)
“Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
→ Mercy requires pruning—so love can flourish.
🌿 Romans 12:19 (ESV)
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God…”
→ Forgiveness is trusting God with the justice.
🌿 Matthew 6:14–15 (ESV)
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you…”
→ Forgiveness is a reflection of the Father’s heart.
🌿 Psalm 51:10 (ESV)
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
→ A powerful prayer for when you’re ready to let go and grow.
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