Forgiveness is Not Trust
Devotional
One of the biggest lies we believe about forgiveness is that it means we have to trust the person who hurt us again. That we have to pretend nothing happened. That forgiveness requires reconciliation.
It doesn’t.
Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to let them back in.
Jesus calls us to forgive, but He never asks us to hand our hearts back to those who have proven unsafe. Trust is built over time, through consistency and repentance. It is earned.
Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself—releasing the bitterness that would otherwise poison your soul. Trust, however, is a door you have the right to keep closed unless God leads you otherwise.
Jesus was full of mercy, but He was also discerning. He loved fully but entrusted Himself to no one except His Father (John 2:24). You can follow His example—walking in grace while keeping wise boundaries.
• Have you ever felt like forgiving meant you had to trust someone again?
• How does understanding the difference change your perspective?
• Where might God be calling you to set healthy boundaries?
Prayer:
Lord, I want to forgive, but I struggle with the idea of trust. Help me separate the two, knowing that releasing bitterness doesn’t mean I have to put myself in harm’s way again. Give me wisdom and discernment as I navigate relationships with grace and truth. Amen.
Memory Verse:
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” —Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
(Adapted from Something to Forgive)
