A Forgiving Heart and A Renewed Mind
Matthew 6:12 (NLT): “As we have forgiven those who sin against us.”
When our Lord and Savior taught His disciples to pray, He didn’t give them a lengthy speech or a complex ritual. He gave them a simple, powerful framework that is packed with eternal truth. Forgiveness is in the middle of this prayer, and its simplicity conveys both importance and direction. This one sentence, “And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” carries healing, restoration, and transformation. It takes us before the throne of the only One that can forgive our sins, and it informs us of the heart He expects when we seek Him. Just as we ask for His forgiveness, we, too, must have a forgiving heart towards others. Our Heavenly Father calls us to have a heart that is pliable and flexible to His Will. We shouldn’t harbor resentment, bitterness, or pride, because those things are not pleasing to Him.
Pray for A Forgiving Heart
A forgiving heart is one that chooses mercy over memory. Our Heavenly Father chooses to bestow His mercy upon us. Micah 7:18-19 (NLT) demonstrates that He lets go of what He could have remembered: “Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!” Sin has dead weight, and forgiveness refuses to carry it. We’re to imitate God in all that we do, and following His example means that we forgive those that have offended us. Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting the wrong or pretending it didn’t hurt. It means surrendering the right to hold it over someone’s head. A forgiving heart is free—it doesn’t rehearse the pain, it releases it.
Why Forgiveness Matters
Forgiveness is not just for the person who wronged us—it’s for our own soul. Bitterness, pride, and resentment are like poison we drink hoping the other person gets sick. These heavies cloud our judgment. They are blockers that clog our spiritual flow and stunt our emotional and spiritual growth. Hebrews 12:15 (NLT) warns us: “Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Bitterness doesn’t remain latent, it spreads. Pride blocks grace. And resentment quietly eats away at peace. But forgiveness brings cleansing. It softens a hardened heart and makes room for God’s healing.
How to Cultivate a Forgiving Heart
Forgiveness is a decision before it becomes a feeling. You might not feel like forgiving—but you choose it anyway, out of obedience and trust that God will handle the rest. Prayer is key. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see people through God’s eyes, not through the lens of pain. Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT) serves to remind us what Jesus said right after teaching the Lord’s Prayer: “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Forgiveness clears the path between us and God. It invites His mercy to keep flowing freely in our lives.
Pray for God’s Help to Renew Your Mind
Matthew 6:13 (NLT): “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”
Jesus teaches us to pray for His strength to resist these temptations and to seek deliverance from the enemy who wants to keep us trapped in our struggles. This is the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Romans 12:2 (NLT) tells us, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” This part of the prayer reminds us that with God’s help, we can overcome temptation. When we yield to the Spirit’s work, we’ll come out on the other side of temptation with stronger faith.
James 1:13 (NLT) reminds us that our Heavenly Father doesn’t tempt us, and we should never think that He does: “And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.” It’s the enemy, satan, who tries to lure us away from our faith so that our relationship with God is compromised. We must renew our minds to the truth and recognize that God will help us when we’re tempted. He’s given us a line of defense that is unfailing.
Why a Renewed Mind is Crucial
Without a renewed mind, even a saved soul can live stuck. Old mindsets will keep you in cycles you were meant to break free from. A renewed mind is how we start walking in our true identity in Christ. God accepts us just as we are, but we need to know that He doesn’t leave us in that condition. The process of spiritual transformation involves renewing our hearts and minds through the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:2 encourages us not to be conformed to this world, with all its toxicity and darkness. Instead, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. To renew is to make new again. We’re to change our minds to think new thoughts—ones that are aligned with the truth of God’s Word.
This transformation comes as we surrender ourselves to God’s Will, and this surrender isn’t just about words, it’s about a heart posture of truly allowing Him to have His way. We talk, think, and act differently when our hearts are fully surrendered to Him. We allow Him to reshape our desires, thoughts, and actions to reflect His glory. We shouldn’t hold on to areas of our old life. The resentment and bitterness against those that have wronged us should be dead to us now. Those old fears, habits, or doubts that once hindered the work that God wants to do in us—we should have given them their walking papers.
Just like forgiveness, renewing the mind is a process—it’s daily. It’s choosing God’s way even when your feelings are pulling the other direction. Ephesians 4:23 (NLT) tells us, “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” The Holy Spirit works within, but it’s our responsibility to give him something to work with. 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we have received the mind of Christ, and we can understand spiritual matters. We must change our thoughts to line up with the mind of our powerful Lord.
When we’re in alignment with His thoughts, we tap into the resources of the heavenly realm, helping us to think and act in alignment with God’s Will. As we become more like Christ, we move away from the old patterns of sin and walk in the freedom He has made available to us. 2 Corinthians 3:18 speaks to this transformation, saying that we are being “changed into His glorious image” as we behold the glory of the Lord. This process is not instant, but as we continually seek God’s Will, we are gradually conformed into His likeness.
When Jesus gave us this prayer, He wasn’t just teaching us how to say the right things. He was guiding us into the kind of life that reflects Heaven on Earth. A forgiving heart and a renewed mind are not optional—they’re vital. They bring peace to our relationships and clarity to our purpose. They detox the soul. They help us walk with God in wholeness, without the baggage of yesterday or the confusion of a cluttered mind.
Life gets tough sometimes, and the Lord’s Prayer provides a timeless template for how we should approach God in prayer. It helps us remember who He is, seek His will, ask for provision, examine our hearts, forgive others, and seek renewal. Through this prayer, Jesus shows us how to center our hearts on God’s greatness and trust in His ability to sustain us, even when life feels impossible. So, no matter what you’re facing, follow the example of the Savior and trust that He hears your prayers. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
“How to Pray When Life Gets Really Tough – PART 3”, written for Springfield Fellowship © 2025. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.