Whether we are seeking forgiveness for our own sins or asking God to help us forgive others, prayer is the first place to start when seeking restoration and healing. The below prayers can help guide your thoughts and words as you seek being forgiven or help in forgiving others. It is a big step to seek out forgiveness and you have taken a bold step in faith!
Before we jump into specific prayers for forgiveness, you may want to take some time to consider what God commands of us concerning forgiveness and why it’s so critical to be able to forgive. Visit our article: What Does the Bible Say About Forgiveness?
Table of contents
Prayer to God for Forgiveness of Sins
Even while I encourage you to pray this prayer, I caution you that saying words alone will not save you. Prayer doesn’t save. Only Christ can save. But prayer can be a means of reaching out to the Lord in true saving faith. If you pray these words in faith, Christ will save you. You can be sure of that.
Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life. I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are true. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer in sincere faith, you may want to put your initials by the prayer along with today’s date as a reminder that you have come to Christ in faith, trusting him as your Lord and Savior.
– Dr Ray Pritchard
Prayer for Forgiving Others
Dear Merciful Lord,
Thank you for your gift of forgiveness. Your only Son loved me enough to come to earth and experience the worst pain imaginable so I could be forgiven. Your mercy flows to me in spite of my faults and failures. Your Word says to “clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Col. 3:14) Help me demonstrate unconditional love today, even to those who hurt me.
I understand that even though I feel scarred, my emotions don’t have to control my actions. Father, may Your sweet words saturate my mind and direct my thoughts. Help me release the hurt and begin to love as Jesus loves. I want to see my offender through my Savior’s eyes. If I can be forgiven, so can he. I understand there are no levels to your love. We are all your children, and your desire is that none of us should perish.
You teach us to “let the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts.” (Col. 3:15) When I forgive in words, allow your Holy Spirit to fill my heart with peace. I pray this peace that only comes from Jesus will rule in my heart, keeping out doubt and questions. And above all, I am thankful. Not just today, not just this week, but always. Thank you for the reminder, “Always be thankful.” (Col. 3:15) With gratitude I can draw closer to you and let go of unforgiveness. With gratitude I can see the person who caused my pain as a child of the Most High God. Loved and accepted. Help me find the compassion that comes with true forgiveness.
And when I see the person who hurt me, bring this prayer back to my remembrance, so I can take any ungodly thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5) And may the confidence of Christ in my heart guide me into the freedom of forgiveness. I praise you for the work you are doing in my life, teaching and perfecting my faith. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
– Kristine Brown
Short Prayer to Forgive Others
Dear Lord, I thank You for the power of forgiveness, and I choose to forgive everyone who has hurt me. Help me set free and release them to You . Help me bless those who have hurt me . Help me walk in righteousness, peace, and joy, demonstrating Your life here on earth. I choose to be kind and compassionate, forgiving others, just as You forgave me . In Jesus’ name, amen.
– Debbie Przybylski
Short Prayer to Forgive Yourself
Father, today I ask forgiveness of all the negative and harmful words I have spoken about myself. I do not want to abuse myself in such a way again. Transform my thoughts and let me understand how marvelously you made me. Change my habits so I use my tongue to speak hope and favor upon my life. In Jesus’ name.
– Sarah Coleman
Matthew West – Forgiveness (Official Lyric Video) from matthew-west on GodTube.
Bible Verses About Forgiveness
Matthew 6:14-15 – For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Micah 7:18-19 – Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Mark 11:25 – And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32 – Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Luke 17:3-4 – So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
Read more Bible Verses on Forgiveness at BibleStudyTools.com
If you’ve been set free from sin and the hurt from others, comment below so that others can live in freedom through forgiveness too! Be a light to our online community and recieve encouragement for your own walk of faith.
This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can’t find the words to pray.
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by Nazor (Nigeria)
O lord Jesus Christ. I thank you immensely for your goodness upon my life. You are so precious and loving. You are good to me but I have done what is evil in your sight. Jesus I long for you more than my dreams. I want you to know that I love you with all my heart. I have been heartless when I sinned against you. I want you to give me a new softest heart that will please you with much love. I need you to be with me as usual. Help me and all those who watch porn and masturbate to cease from this treacherous act and long for your will and nothing but your will.
I pray that i would die in your arms. Please receive me back as your own. I need you so much my king. help and answer me when I call on you.
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We want to share this prayer for forgiveness with you. But first, we want to share about the dangers of unforgiveness and how it affects your life if you don’t forgive.
We want to share these bible verses on forgiveness with you.
The main Danger of Unforgiveness
Matthew 6:14-15 Amplified Bible (AMP) “For if you forgive others their trespasses , your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others , then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.”
Unforgiveness not only keeps you in bondage from moving forward but it puts a block between you and God. How then will your prayers be answered? Being separated from God is the worst thing that can happen for you. Harboring unforgiveness hurts your relationship with the Lord more than anything else.
Motivation to forgive others
So here are some things to keep in mind that should motivate your desire to forgive:
- You can’t allow what someone else did to you to cause you to be separated from God. It’s not worth it!
- You will never be able to walk in the calling of God fully if you don’t release the unforgiveness from your heart
- Once you release the unforgiveness a promotion comes to your own life immediately as it relates to your destiny
- Focus on your calling and understand that this stands in the way. Turn this stumbling block into a stepping stone.
People in the Bible who learned to forgive
- David had to forgive Saul for trying to kill him. Actually, David even had occasion to kill Saul and chose not to do it. He already knew that Samuel anointed him to be King. Therefore, why would he need to get blood on his hands? (1 Samuel 24:4-11) He chose to focus on his future not the past or even what was happening in the present.
- Joseph had to forgive his brothers for trying to murder him. Potiphar’s wife from accusing him of attempted rape and landed him in prison. The prisoner in the cell with him that promised to help but forgot him for 2 years. At the end of the day, Joseph was in charge of Egypt. He was 2nd in command so in not harboring unforgiveness he was able to step into his purpose. (Genesis 37-50)
- The father of the prodigal son had to forgive him (Luke 15)
- Jesus has to forgive you for the sins you commit against him on a daily basis even after coming into salvation
If you forgive does this mean you forget?
No. You can forgive but how can you forget it? This actually happened to you. When it becomes unhealthy is when you play the past over and over again in your head like a broken record. You won’t forget but that does not mean you keep remembering it and reliving the trauma.
How will you know when you’ve truly forgiven someone
You’ll see them & it won’t bring up the past offenses in your mind. You won’t have the same feeling towards them as you did in the past. You’ll have no problem praying for God’s blessing upon them and wanting their heart’s desires to be fulfilled. Also, you won’t feel the need to tell others what they did to you.
Think about this, if I told you that I have forgiven my father who raped me as a child you may marvel at God’s healing grace but, let’s be honest, when you see my father on the street how will you feel about him? Do you see how this is a problem? I would’ve created an environment where other people now carry the offense for me against the offending person. Not good.
If you truly forgave you would no longer feel the need to talk about it. If you keep bringing it up, that means that you have some lingering resentment. It means that you have this broken record playing over and over again in your mind and you can’t let it go.
In these situations the deliverance from unforgiveness will be complete when you stop talking about it.
What happens when you forgive someone but they keep doing the same thing to you?
Sometimes you can forgive someone and they keep doing the same bad things to you or new things from the same spirit. This should not stop you from forgiving them again. You need to release it all over again to God. If the person is not repentant you need to move away from them. Move on. Read Matthew 18:15-19 Please note the verses that immediately following this one, it talks about forgiveness Matthew 18:21-35. So the take away message is, you remove yourself from them but you must forgive them even if they are not repentant. Psalm 66:18-20
What happens when you know you’ve forgiven someone but it keeps coming back to your mind?
If this happens to you then it means that you are on the brink of a breakthrough. A HUGE breakthrough!!! Remember that the enemy will use the offense as a stumbling block to stop you from moving forward. Satan’s job is to stop you from becoming who God created you to be so what better way to do that than to cause you to hold unforgiveness in your heart? He can’t stop your calling but he can make you forfeit it by holding iniquity in your heart.
The fact that he would reach back and try to bring up something that has been resolved means he’s grasping for straws. It means that your current life is being lived to the glory of God, you’re pressing into the Lord and the enemy has nothing new on you and no part in you; therefore, he has to reach back and bring up something old.
The Holy Spirit convicts, He does not condemn (Romans 8:1). If you’ve resolved this months even years ago, it’s the enemy trying to see if you’ll fall for this old trick. He wants to see if you’ll latch on to it and follow him down the path of unforgiveness (which you’ve already been delivered from) again!
Here’s what you do…you speak aloud “I have already forgiven__________. The matter has already been settled in my mind, soul and in heaven. I bind up this thought of unforgiveness and I bind the father of lies and I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind and soul” Then immediately you go into a short prayer of blessing over that person. That’s it! The thoughts will leave immediately and you can move on. When you start praying blessing over the person, think of every area of their life and bless them in that area.
Trust that the enemy will no longer bring this one up because he knows what will follow is a prayer of blessing over the person and he can’t afford that!
Also, watch for a major breakthrough in your life within a week of doing this. Truly it was his last ditch effort to stop you.
Prayer for forgiveness for others
Father God, I thank you for the forgiveness of my sins as Jesus shed his blood for me on the cross. I thank you that I was washed clean of my sins of the past, present and the future. I do not receive this gift of forgiveness lightly and understand that when I moved into having a relationship with you God, through Jesus, that same forgiveness that was imputed to me I must now give to others. Lord, based on your word in Collossians 3:13 that says I should forgive as you have forgiven me I choose to walk in obedience. I choose to forgive. I lay down my will and I accept your word as true. I pray for grace to forgive. Flow forgiveness through me by the power of the Holy Ghost. In areas where I feel I cannot forgive I ask you to release a special grace upon me. You also said in your word “My strength is made perfect in your weakness” I confess that I am weak in this area so I need your perfected strength to forgive. I choose to forgive __________ for doing _____, _____, ______ to me. I release it all to you Lord. I ask that you wash my mind clean with the blood of Jesus. Uproot any root of bitterness as a result of ____________. Plant only peace and love in those areas God. Restore my joy. Forgive me for holding on to this for so long. I repent for my rebellion and stubbornness. I ask that you release me from this iniquity. Let no iniquity stand in the way of my fellowship with you. Rip this veil away and show me Your face. Restore to me all that was lost because of this sin. I have suffered so much pain and hurt in my life because of this. I need to be healed by our power. Bind up my wounds. Heal my soul.
I freely now pray this blessing over _________. I pray that you will bless them in all areas of their life. That you would develop a deep abiding relationship with them. That you would bless them with finances in all areas of their life. That you would bring Godly relationships in their life. That you would meet all of their needs. That you would heal their body and bring prosperity to their soul. That you would heal them in all of their wounded places. I pray that you would fill them with your joy and peace. I pray that you would bless their entire family and bring their entire family into a relationship with You. That you would use them powerfully in ministry for you. Bless them more than they can ask or think or imagine, in Jesus Name, Amen.
There are times when we need to forgive ourselves because we may have done things that had grave consequences that can’t be undone. The thing you need to always remember is that Jesus forgave you.
Job 23:10 New International Version (NIV) “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
Before you even made the mistake God knew you were going to take that road. He has already made accommodations for it in His plan for your life. You must accept the fact that you made a mistake and forgive yourself.
Sometimes restoration doesn’t mean that you get back the old thing, it can mean that you get something new. Believe God for the new.
Prayer for forgiving yourself
Father God, forgive me for the wrong that I have done. Thank you for forgiving me. Please show me how to forgive myself. I ask that whatever can be restored as it was before please restore it. I ask you to restore ________________________. But God, not my will but yours be done so if You know there is something greater, please bring it forth and give me the grace to release the past. I forgive myself because you have forgiven me. If there are others I need to ask for forgiveness bring them to mind and i ask for the wisdom of words to ask them to forgive me. I trust that you know the way I take and after I have been tested I will come forth as god, in Jesus name, Amen
Children of God be blessed! Expect God to restore you and promote you after you complete this process of forgiveness. If you need prayer, write it in the comment section and we will pray for you in the area of forgiveness.
Here are some other prayers for you:
Bible Verses About Faith
Praise The Lord Bible Verses
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Prayer of Forgiveness: A Valuable Gift
A prayer of forgiveness is something we all seek at some point in life. Forgiveness is a valuable gift that is neither easily obtained, nor easily given. Forgiveness is essential for life; it frees us from past wrongs and gives us hope for the future. It is for forgiveness sake that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for mankind.
Prayer of Forgiveness: Made Possible by Jesus Christ
The prayer of forgiveness is a prayer that is offered up to God. Though we may directly hurt each other, all of our trespasses ultimately hurt God. You may wonder how this is possible. How can our shortcomings hurt the omnipotent Creator of the universe? Does God even care? In Genesis 6, we find that God Himself actually grieved over all the wrongs that man had inflicted upon each other: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Genesis 6:5-6).
All knowing, God grieves even at the mere thought of evil. Thus, ultimate forgiveness must also come from God. However, because of His justice, forgiveness cannot be freely given. Every wrong must be accounted for in order for God to be a just judge. Jesus Christ died on the cross at Calvary in our place so that our sins may be forgiven. His suffering paid for our transgressions. “For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).
In His love, God knew that our conscience needed to be freed from guilt and condemnation. He knew that forgiveness of sins was our greatest need. In the ultimate act of love, God not only suffered the pain of our wrongs, but also paid for their consequences in order that we may have forgiveness offered to us when we sin. All we need to do is to accept His free gift of forgiveness.
Prayer of Forgiveness: Ask God for Forgiveness
Perhaps you have stumbled upon this web page looking for a prayer of forgiveness to soothe a tormented soul. Or maybe you are struggling with trying to forgive another for deeply hurting you. For all who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, forgiveness has been freely given. If we acknowledge our wrongs and ask for forgiveness, God will forgive us – no questions asked: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
If we reject Jesus, in essence, we reject God’s gift of forgiveness. We are in fact saying that we do not wish to be reconciled with God (1 John 1:10). Though it is our free choice to not accept forgiveness from God, we will ultimately be accountable for all the sins we have committed at the end of this life. It is God’s deep desire to be reconciled with you. “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). If you desire to be truly forgiven, consider what Jesus said and sincerely accept Him as your Lord and Savior. You will be forgiven and God will begin a transforming work in your life.
Prayer of Forgiveness: Receive a New Life
The prayer of forgiveness gives us a new hope and a new beginning. All our sins are wiped away by God. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12).
If you understand that you are a sinner, and you believe that Jesus Christ came as the one and only Redeemer of sin, then you understand the prayer of forgiveness. The question is – are you ready to implement the prayer, by receiving God’s gift of His Son, Jesus Christ? If so, believe in Christ, repent of your sins, and commit the rest of your life to Him as Lord:
“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
If you decided to receive Jesus today, welcome to God’s family. Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.
- Get baptized as commanded by Christ.
- Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
- Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
- Seek fellowship with other followers of Jesus. Develop a group of believing friends to answer your questions and support you.
- Find a local gathering where you can worship God.
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WHAT DO YOU THINK?
– We have all
sinned
and deserve God’s judgment.
God
, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him.
Jesus
, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He
died
for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was
buried
, and
rose from the dead
according to the
Bible
. If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your
Savior
, declaring, “
Jesus is Lord
,” you will be saved from
judgment
and spend eternity with God in heaven.
What is your response?
Yes, today I am deciding to follow JesusYes, I am already a follower of JesusI still have questions
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