[1twelve2]

Originally Posted by Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT)

Then Peter came to him, and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?"

"No! Jesus replied, "seventy times seven!"

I find it fitting and interesting that these verses are right after Jesus speaks about correcting a fellow believer (Matt. 18:15-20). You know if you were raised in church like me, sometimes you hear the Bible read so much, that you never actual hear or listen to the Word... Recently, I've been challenged so much by this chapter, Matthew 18. And it became concrete to me that the Bible is not this seperate entity that is over there, and I'm living my life over here. The worlds collided and created much needed chaos.

What was my catalyst/wake up call? Recently, I was very hurt by someone close to me, a former role model of mine, - someone I loved and trusted. He hurt a handful of others as well with his actions and words.

I just walked away from the situation, with my feelings and hurt bottled up inside, and it was killing me. I wanted to do something rash, but I knew better. So I searched for answers. I looked in the back of my Bible, and I found Matthew 18.

So I took the plunge, I confronted this person, who used to be my youth leader. I was scared as heck, but I was on a mission. I needed to uphold the Word.

He didn't respond well at all first - but after a little while, he let the Word penetrate his heart, and he asked for forgiveness. And even though I was still a bit angry and hurt, God gave me strength to forgive him.

But here's the thing: I must forgive him everyday. This was a new and refreshing and redeeming aspect of forgiveness that I had not known before -

Originally Posted by Col. 3:12-14 (NLT)

Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Forgiveness is something that happens more than once; it is like grief, it comes in waves. God heals the hurt - Healing is a process - but if I were to hold onto my bitterness, it would have excerbated the situation.

God has a tall order for us, to forgive "seventy times seven," but it is not something we can do on our own strength. So give it to him - all of it - the hurt, the pain, and the regret, "come to me, for my yoke is easy"


"Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."
"Forgiveness...means that it no longer remains a barrier to our Relationship" (MLK).



works cited: sermon notes from "Re-connecting," Rev. John Schmidt.