A person holding grudges can be likened to one consuming poison yet expecting another fellow to die in his/her stead. When you hold a grudge against someone, you are killing yourself gradually. When you refuse to forgive someone who wronged you, you have only opened the door to hurt and more hurt. While the fellow on the other hand may be living his/her life in peace, you keep hurting each time you see or remember him/her.

Many people have died of hypertension because they refused to forgive someone who offended them. It is for your own good that you forgive that fellow who offended you. Don’t give anyone a license to keep hurting you; let it go.

From Matthew 18:23-35 and Matthew 6:14, it is evident that whenever someone is holding a grudge against another, God will bypass the offender and refuse to forgive the one holding the grudge. Imagine going to hell just because you refused to forgive someone who offended you, only for that fellow to repent and end up in Heaven. Luke 6:37 tells us that if you condemn someone, God will condemn you too. James 2:12-13 says:
“So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judge by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgement.”

God will neither answer the prayer nor accept the gift of anyone living in unforgiveness because the sacrifice of a sinner is an abomination to Him (Proverbs 15:. God wants you to forgive everyone who has offended you, because only then would you obtain mercy from Him.

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Mark 11:25
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.