God wants us to be less like us and more like Him.

“Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.” Have you ever prayed that prayer? Of course you have, hundreds of time, because it’s from The Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:12). But have you thought about what it means? Does God really forgive us in the same way we forgive others?

God has forgiven us, and He continues to forgive us. He doesn’t “constantly accuse us” and “has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:9,12). He doesn’t keep any records. How unlike us! Yet that’s what God wants us to be–unlike ourselves and more like Him. As we forgive others, we don’t necessarily trigger God’s forgiveness for us, but we show Him that His forgiveness is real in our lives. Whenever we ask God to forgive us, we should make sure we have forgiven the people who have offended us.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.”

Matthew 6:14