Godly Living: Forgiveness

As we seek to model the characteristics that God commands, we see his example of forgiveness. Oftentimes, our idea of forgiveness is just "not being mad" at somebody anymore. We just kind of "get over it." But our forgiveness should be modeled after God's forgiveness.
First, God's forgiveness demanded a fulfillment of his own justice and holiness. Ephesians 4:32 says, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you." Notice the last part: God forgave us for Christ's sake. It was because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross that God could forgive us. It was because he took the penalty of sin (death) that we rightfully deserved. Forgiveness isn't just ignoring something bad or "getting over it."
Second, God's forgiveness is far greater than anything we could ever imagine. Remember Jesus' story in Matthew 18:23–35 about the man who was forgiven an enormous debt that he could not pay? He left that meeting and found another man who owed him a very small debt and refused to forgive him. When we read that story, we become indignant. How arrogant and foolish of that man!
In the same way, we have been forgiven of an infinite debt of sin (because we have sinned against an infinite God) because of Jesus Christ's infinite payment of his own life on the cross. How can we, who have been forgiven, refuse to forgive others? We should always stand ready and willing to forgive those who have wronged us, just as God forgave us because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice.