Forgiveness
I don’t feel God wanted me to talk about this topic because I got it right this time- or believe I did. I believe it’s because of the number of times I’ve gotten it wrong too. And now I know what it’s like to be stuck in an unforgiving state and what it’s like to be free in it.
See, none of us are perfect. We all fall victim to the devil’s schemes and tricks which could lead to us hurting other people. We’ve all been victim to it and also are likely the ones who hurt others too.
But that’s where grace and forgiveness come in. However, we often welcome that grace and forgiveness for ourselves but what about when we’re the victim?
There’s a story in the Bible that paints the picture of how we typically approach forgiveness and grace for ourselves vs. others.
Matt 18:21-35 says:
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
In this story it seems so obvious that this man was ungrateful and selfish. But that’s how we are when we don’t forgive. We often place ourselves in the judgement seat and create levels to our forgiveness. The severity of the hurt and pain often determine if we’ll forgive or not. But no matter how crazy our actions can get, God never set standards or levels to if and when he would forgive us.
Forgiveness isn’t about waiting until the person says sorry. It’s not about getting something back from them to make up for the offense. It’s also not about welcoming them back into your life….cuz….BOUNDARIES! It’s about extending the same, undeserving grace that God constantly and infinitely extends to us and breaking free from the bondage of that pain.
You have to truly understand God’s love for you to be able to freely give it back to others despite the offense. If you haven’t noticed, this truly is a heart thing, which is what the verse just told us. And not just for their heart but for yours too.
When you forgive, you release the other person AND yourself. It is no one but the enemy that wants a piece of your heart to be hardened, because when your heart is hardened, so are your actions toward others.
There are so many people chained to pain and who need love to release them of it. That starts with us being the example of that.
But what about those of you that don’t feel you deserve grace and forgiveness for yourself?
Let me remind you that it’s already been given. Nothing you have said, done, or thought is enough for God to break his promise of forgiveness, grace and freedom for you.
In Hebrews 10:17-18, it says:
“Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.”
Let’s be people who give and receive forgiveness. It’ll make yours and their heart better and free you from your pain.
-TC