Real Forgiveness

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. 23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Matt 18:21-35 (ESV)

Unforgiveness is something we all struggle with and we often refuse to admit it. Yet it is in many cases the most damaging thing we can have in our lives. It has been believed and even studied by doctors that forgiveness is physically and mentally beneficial to us as human beings. From that perspective alone we should desire to seek forgiveness and we should also offer it freely to those who wrong us. Our very health and well-being may depend on it.

Today though we need to look at the eternal results of our refusal to forgive others; the idea that we only have to forgive some 70 times 7 or 490 times (some translations read 77 times) is not an actual number that you can keep track of. If you are keeping score than you have missed the true idea of forgiveness; real forgiveness is the action of letting go of the feelings and emotions that go with the hurt that you have experienced. That is what unforgiveness really is its holding on to a hurt; it might be physical or emotional but it is something that is able to control our lives so that we can find ourselves living as a prisoner too it. You may always remember what someone did to you but it no longer has the ability to spark an emotional response in you. That is real forgiveness.

You see the forgiveness that God gives us is the same forgiveness we should offer to those who have hurt us. So if we are willing to obey Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness He will provide us with the strength to do it. We must offer the forgiveness that God has already given you. If we fail to do so we will one day stand before God just as the wicked servant and be held accountable for our unforgiveness. I know it is not easy to forgive but a lot is riding on our doing it. I leave you with the words of David from Psalm 103:10-12, “10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” We should desire to forgive as God does. I pray that you find and give real forgiveness in life today as you walk in the light of God’s Word.