--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The decision to forgive is first a heart…" description: "\"“The decision to forgive is first a heart transaction between you and God. It is a willingness to give up your desire to hold onto (and in some way pun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/timothy-s-lane-16670_forgiveness_the-decision-to-forgive-is-first-a-heart_1826026.jpg" --- # The decision to forgive is first a heart transaction… ![“The decision to forgive is first a heart transaction between you and God. It is a willingness to give up your desire to hold onto (and in some way punish the person for) his offense against you. Instead, you entrust the person and the offense to God, believing that he is righteous and just. You…” quote by Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/timothy-s-lane-16670_forgiveness_the-decision-to-forgive-is-first-a-heart_1826026.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/timothy-s-lane-16670_forgiveness_the-decision-to-forgive-is-first-a-heart_1826026.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/timothy-s-lane-16670_forgiveness_the-decision-to-forgive-is-first-a-heart_1826026.jpg) > ““The decision to forgive is first a heart transaction between you and God. It is a willingness to give up your desire to hold onto (and in some way punish the person for) his offense against you. Instead, you entrust the person and the offense to God, believing that he is righteous and just. You make a decision to respond to this person with an attitude of grace and forgiveness.”” [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness is a spiritual choice to release personal vengeance and trust divine justice, allowing grace toward the offender. **In simple terms:** Let go of revenge, trust a higher power. Key Takeaway Choose grace over resentment. Themes forgiveness spirituality trust Mood reflective calm Type inspirational spiritual When to use this quote - marital conflict - workplace dispute - family betrayal - legal settlements Key Concepts grace divine justice inner peace Questions to Reflect On - What would happen if you truly let go? - How does trusting a higher power change your response? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may feel like condoning harmful behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-forgive-1639017/) [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-heart-1242541/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [God Believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-believing/) [Grace and forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-and-forgiveness/) [Grace Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-forgiveness-368791/) ## Related quotes > [Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. 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I pray you will spare me a drink from that cup, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/there-will-be-grace-and-forgiveness-enough-old-dog-even-for-you-i/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [...God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver… From the earliest parts of the Bible, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always-2/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always-3/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“There’s one emotion that will keep u miserable more than any others – and that is feeling like a disappointment in God’s eyes. Believing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-augustine/there-s-one-emotion-that-will-keep-u-miserable-more-than-any-others/) [Sue Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-augustine/) > [God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver. From the earliest parts of the Bible, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“What greater gift could Christians give to the world than the forming of a culture that upholds grace and forgiveness?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/what-greater-gift-could-christians-give-to-the-world-than-the-forming/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [“God offers grace and forgiveness for a contrite heart. But society offers cruel consequences and never forgives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-moser/god-offers-grace-and-forgiveness-for-a-contrite-heart-but-society/) [Nancy Moser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-moser/) > [“Forgive others from your heart” Peter asked, “How often should I forgive someone? Seven times?” Jesus answered, “Not seven times, I tell you: seventy-seven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-partner/forgive-others-from-your-heart-peter-asked-how-often-should-i-forgive/) [Daniel Partner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-partner/) > [“Augustus Waters was a self-aggrandizing bastard. But we forgive him. We forgive him not because he had a heart as figuratively good as his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/augustus-waters-was-a-self-aggrandizing-bastard-but-we-forgive-him-we/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [No Matter How Hard I Take the Decision To Forgive Peoples Who even Dont Deserve It, They Always Enjoys To Play with Someone's Feelings..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinay-lokhandeindia/no-matter-how-hard-i-take-the-decision-to-forgive-peoples-who-even/) [Vinay LokhandeINDIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinay-lokhandeindia/) > [“Don’t take decision blindly, #1 Put yourself in other’s situation #2 Observe the situation #3 Make decision #4 Forgive (If Possible) Because strictness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atlas-gondal/don-t-take-decision-blindly-1-put-yourself-in-other-s-situation-2/) [Atlas Gondal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atlas-gondal/) > [She couldn’t help wondering if that was how one made the decision to forgive or not. If letting go hurt more than accepting someone’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter/she-couldn-t-help-wondering-if-that-was-how-one-made-the-decision-to/) [C.C. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter/) > [When you make a decision to forgive it's a decision that you have to make intellectually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/when-you-make-a-decision-to-forgive-it-s-a-decision-that-you-have-to/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [“How to tell her in words, then, what he had learned himself by pain and grace? That only by forgiveness could she forget—and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/how-to-tell-her-in-words-then-what-he-had-learned-himself-by-pain-and/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) ## More by Timothy S. Lane > [“People in the middle usually discover that more work is involved than they ever expected. It is hard to hold onto the dream, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/people-in-the-middle-usually-discover-that-more-work-is-involved-than/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/when-i-have-learnt-to-love-god-better-than-my-earthly-dearest-i-shall/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“This side of heaven, relationships and ministry are always shaped in the forge of struggle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/this-side-of-heaven-relationships-and-ministry-are-always-shaped-in/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“It is always harder to live in the middle of something than it is to live at the beginning or the end. When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/it-is-always-harder-to-live-in-the-middle-of-something-than-it-is-to/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“Whenever you believe that the evil outside you is greater than the evil inside you, a heartfelt pursuit of Christ will be replaced by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/whenever-you-believe-that-the-evil-outside-you-is-greater-than-the/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“Every good relationship we have is a gift of God's grace. Left to ourselves, nothing good would happen. Our problem has everything to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/every-good-relationship-we-have-is-a-gift-of-god-s-grace-left-to/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“The shattered relationship between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the cross provides the basis for our reconciliation. No other relationship ever suffered more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/the-shattered-relationship-between-father-son-and-holy-spirit-at-the/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“Christian friendships do not simply help us bask in the sunshine of God’s grace; they also help us to roll up our sleeves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/christian-friendships-do-not-simply-help-us-bask-in-the-sunshine-of/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“The reason we fail to keep commands 4 through 10 is because we have failed to keep the first three. If you break commands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/the-reason-we-fail-to-keep-commands-4-through-10-is-because-we-have/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“Your relationships will take you beyond the boundaries of your normal strength. Encouragement gives struggling people eyes to see the unseen Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/your-relationships-will-take-you-beyond-the-boundaries-of-your-normal/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“Notice how much Israel’s response to hardship maps onto ours. We face hard things and we complain about things as mundane as a menu.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/notice-how-much-israel-s-response-to-hardship-maps-onto-ours-we-face/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“If you look for God in your relationships, you will always find things to be thankful for. When God reigns in our hearts, peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/if-you-look-for-god-in-your-relationships-you-will-always-find-things/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“We think, How much better life would be if a certain situation or a relationship were different! Meanwhile, God says that what needs change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/we-think-how-much-better-life-would-be-if-a-certain-situation-or-a/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“We say that the difficulty causes us to respond in sinful ways. But the Bible teaches again and again that our circumstances don’t cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/we-say-that-the-difficulty-causes-us-to-respond-in-sinful-ways-but/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“God is simply taking you where you do not want to go to produce in you what you could not achieve on your own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/god-is-simply-taking-you-where-you-do-not-want-to-go-to-produce-in/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) [Explore all 39 Timothy S. Lane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) ## More Forgive quotes > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) [Serge Kahili King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-kahili-king/) > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [Im so sorry,i screwed up again.i didnt meant hurting you.please,forgive me,again?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redeyeen/im-so-sorry-i-screwed-up-again-i-didnt-meant-hurting-you-please/) [Redeyeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redeyeen/) > [“He fell back. He had cried out so loud that even if there had been no breach in the wall, I should have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/he-fell-back-he-had-cried-out-so-loud-that-even-if-there-had-been-no/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Ive learned¦ that no matter how good a friend is, theyre going to hurt you every once in a while, and you must forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ive-learned-that-no-matter-how-good-a-friend-is-theyre-going-to-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) > [I feel people relate with your entire journey and forgive your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-feel-people-relate-with-your-entire-journey-and-forgive-your/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [“The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-bible-says-you-must-make-allowance-for-each-other-s-faults-and/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“By choosing to forgive, you are choosing to love. By choosing to operate in love, you are choosing to operate in an unconditional state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-watterson/by-choosing-to-forgive-you-are-choosing-to-love-by-choosing-to/) [Eric Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-watterson/) > [The most important thing about being a father is being able to forgive yourself. If you don't forgive yourself, you're not going to forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/the-most-important-thing-about-being-a-father-is-being-able-to/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) [Browse all 3,381 Forgive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The decision to forgive is first a heart transaction between you and God. It is a willingness to give up your desire to hold onto (and in some way punish the person for) his offense against you. Instead, you entrust the person and the offense to God, believing that he is righteous and just. You make a decision to respond to this person with an attitude of grace and forgiveness.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Timothy S. 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