Forgiveness isn’t easy. Our Savior calls us to forgive anyway. If we’re truly living our lives as Jesus taught us, forgiveness is not only necessary, it’s required.
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, we’ve witnessed hate. We’ve also witnessed divine grace. At Charlie’s memorial service on Sunday, we witnessed divine grace in Erika Kirk. The moment she extended forgiveness to the young man who took her husband’s life is a moment none of us should ever forget. Erika exemplified the kind of grace and mercy we’re all called to exhibit. Her words remind us of the Gospel, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
Jesus’ words exemplify the ultimate act of forgiveness, one that goes beyond human understanding. Despite the injustice and cruelty he is facing, Jesus chooses to extend grace and mercy to His persecutors. This act of forgiveness is a demonstration of Christ’s love and compassion for humanity, as well as His obedience to the will of God. It also serves as a model for believers, teaching us to forgive those who wrong us, even in the most extreme circumstances. — Bible Art
Forgiveness is a requirement in the life of a believer.
As Christ hung suffering on the cross, He forgave everyone of us. His words, Father, forgive them, were not just for the ones who had actually persecuted and crucified Him; they were for the entirety of mankind.
In truth, we all had a hand in Christ’s suffering and death. His death on the cross paid the price for salvation for all of us. His resurrection ensured eternal life for all of us. To live as Christ calls us to live, forgiveness is not only necessary, it’s required. As such, we’re called to embody the grace and mercy we’ve received from God by extending that same grace and mercy to others.
“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” — Mark 11:25
Forgiveness isn’t easy.
When we’re hurting, angry, and uncertain, we’re like cornered animals. Any attempt to save us is met with retaliation. Fear and doubt dictate our reactions. More than anything, we feel our wounds. They’re fresh and on the surface. We draw on our emotions at a time when, unfortunately, they’re in turmoil.
The past few weeks since Charlie’s death are a prime example. On both sides, we’ve witnessed extreme instances of love and hate. We’ve seen his words uplifted and honored. We’ve seen them twisted in the service of evil. None of that is unexpected. What is unexpected is Erika’s grace. She lost more than anyone. Putting ourselves in her shoes, we can’t help but ask, how can she forgive this absolutely unforgivable wrong? Could I do that?
Forgiveness requires faith.
The answer is yes. Yes, we can. Forgiveness requires faith. That, more than anything else, is what Erika has demonstrated. Her tremendous faith in Christ is the only way she can extend grace to the one who took so much from her. Instead of relying on her own understanding, she placed her trust in God and in her Savior. There’s not a single one of us who witnessed her courageous act of faith that isn’t affected by its beauty and truth. Her obedience in such extreme circumstances is an example we must all heed.
Erika answered the call. In a moment when not a single person would’ve faulted her for holding fast to her anger and pain, she chose grace instead. In doing so, she honored Christ and her husband, and gave us something so much more powerful to hold onto — Hope.
But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. — Matthew 6:15
Witnessing Erika’s faith in action is not the first time in my life I’ve experienced such grace. In 2017, my best friend was murdered by the man she’d been in a relationship with for almost a decade. She was only 47. She left behind two beautiful children, a son 20, and a daughter,16, at the time of her death. She and I had been friends for over three decades. Her death, especially the circumstances of it, hit me hard. I was so angry. My inital response was also one of anger. I swore I’d never be able to forgive the man who’d taken her life. I wanted him punished in the harshest way possible. But God had other plans for me. At her memorial service, her children stood up to speak about their mother. In their grief, they asked all of us to show compassion. They asked us not to focus on the way their mother died, but on the way she lived. They did not want the man who had taken their mother from them to receive the death penalty. They did not want his young son to bear the burden of loss that they themselves would bear for the rest of their lives. That moment of grace extended touched every person in that room. I’ll never forget it because through it I was able to move past my own anger and grief. Through prayer, God provided the courage and mercy I needed to extend forgiveness. It wasn’t easy. In fact, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. It wasn’t public. The man who took Alisa’s life will likely never know I’ve forgiven him. But that does not matter. In my heart I have. I have prayed for his soul and I have given all of it to the Lord. In it’s place I have peace. That is why Erika extended forgiveness. It’s why we must all offer it no matter the circumstances. For its only through forgiveness that we receive the peace of Christ — peace that goes beyond our understanding. — JN Fenwick
FATHER, FORGIVE THEM
“Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do.”
Our Savior’s words,
an act of GRACE,
spoken for me and you.
Hate is not the answer.
It’s love that conquers all.
Our Savior’s words of MERCY.
Will we heed His call?
Forgiveness is not easy
when hearts are bruised and torn.
We hold onto our anger,
and from SALVATION turn.
But in our hour of darkness,
Christ has shone His LIGHT.
Telling us to lay it down,
He’s already won the fight.
He suffered for the many,
of which we are a part.
To lead us to the valley,
He showed us where to start.
Look inside our own hearts,
to all that we cling to.
Does it honor His example,
or blind us to the TRUTH?
In these moments meant to test us,
do we reach out for His hand?
Or try to hold on to the grains
of our FAITHLESS shifting stand?
“Father, forgive them.”
He showed us what to do.
As He gave up His own life,
He spoke to me and you.
“Do not hold on to your anger.
Do not answer hate with hate.
Instead, relinquish everything
that keeps you from My GRACE.”
Forgiveness is the answer.
It frees us from the chains
that bind us to this sinful world
and the darkness of its cage.
Forgiveness is the pathway
to the FREEDOM that He offers.
Once planted in our broken souls,
it takes root and prospers.
It leads us to the valley
of His healing LOVE and PEACE.
To the fullness of His KINGDOM,
and the comfort that we seek.
For if we want forgiveness,
we’re called first to forgive.
To relinquish everything we are,
for everything our SAVIOR IS.
Amen.
JN Fenwick (© 2025)
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