“Peter approached Jesus and said, “How many times do I have to forgive my fellow believer who keeps offending me? Seven times?” Jesus answered, “Not seven times, Peter, but seventy times seven times! The lessons of forgiveness in heaven’s kingdom . . .” Matthew 18:21-22 TPT
Jesus is not testing Peter’s math skills here. Jesus is asking us to have an attitude of forgiveness without limits. The parable He tells makes it clear that we have been forgiven so great at debt that forgiving others looks trivial in comparison.
Jesus’ teaching on unlimited forgiveness is followed immediately by the topic of divorce. I don’t think this is a coincident. The people closest to us, often require the most forgiveness. Jesus urges us to continue to forgive them, as often as needed.
Jesus wants us to forgive others because He has our best interest at heart. Unforgiveness keeps us bound to that person or memory; we are unable to put it behind us and move on in life. That emotional bondage eventually leads to physical ailments. Cancers feed on bitterness. We are triune beings – body, soul and spirit. All those parts are interconnected. When one part of us is sick, the whole of us is sick.
Let me give you a real life example. A Christian sister came for prayer. She explained how she had met her ex-husband and his new wife at a social function. She had said something she shouldn’t have, and he obtained a restraining order against her. She was incensed at the injustice of it all; he should be the one in jail, not her! This dear sister has been divorce for 15 years, and she still can’t attend a social gather without losing her temper and reliving the old wounding memories. Fifteen years! Who is in bondage here?! Even after 15 years, she has not learned how to forgive. What she really came for prayer about that day was a cancer eating away at her body. There is no doubt in my mind that these things are connected.
Unlimited forgiveness is key to living a healthy and happy life. Jesus wants us to have life, and life abundant. That is why Jesus urges us to forgive . . . without limit. He created our inward parts. He knows. He knows we cannot be free until we forgive.
Let’s get practical here. What does that look like? How does one “forgive?”
Forgiveness is a decision, not a feeling. We make a decision to forgive and declare it OUT LOUD! Again, there is great power in the words that we speak.
That’s all well and good. But what do we do with those negative memories and emotions??
That is where the battle field of the mind comes in. We have to treat those negative emotions and memories as assaults from the enemy who is trying to defeat us. We need to stand firm on our declaration: “I have forgiven them!” Making our declaration and refusing to sit this that negativity puts the enemy to flight.
There is one last step that is critical: We must BLESS them. We may want to bless them with a ton of bricks on their head! Instead, we should pray for more of Jesus in their life. That gives God the opportunity to change them, as He is changing us.
Thank You, Jesus for Your Unlimited Forgiveness!