Today’s Encouragement is 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?” [22] “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”
How many times –
We try to forgive, we know we should, but too often we say, “I’m trying to forgive, but I don’t know how.” Or “I have forgiven them and yet it still comes up and before I know it, I’m back where I started and angry and hurt all over again!”
Friends, is it possible that forgiveness is a decision which then begins a process? It may be a short process or an extended one. Our release of the harm done, to us or to others, could come immediately with our initial decision to let go of the hurt, or we may need to repeat our forgiveness many times! As outlined in this passage, even hundreds of times! We can never stop forgiving! Because as Matthew 6:15 NLT says, “But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Be encouraged today to forgive them, again, when either they harm you again, or when it comes to mind again: the old pain, the old injury resurfaces and you feel the bitterness, pain, anger and hurt welling up inside you. The enemy of our souls wants you to live there… remain deeply hurt… suffer endlessly this wrong done to you…. But our loving Father has a better way…. Forgive them… and as we do, we become free from the harm they’ve done us… and freely forgiven of all the harm we’ve done to ourselves and to other people! What a mystery, what a Savior!
I’m not who I was
Brandon Heath
Today’s Encouragement 