Please Forgive Me

Ephesians 4:32
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Have you ever forgiven someone only to have the issue come up again?  Forgiveness is the crux of Christianity.  Matthew 18:20,21 records a conversation between Jesus and Simon Peter, "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" (NIV).  The King James version renders verse 22 as, " Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." The Greek rendering of the words  hebdomekontakis hepta or seventy times seven reveals that the answer that Jesus gave was in accordance with the question Peter asked.  Seventy-seven times is hyperbole for as many times as it takes.  Seven is the number of perfection in scripture.  We must forgive as we have been forgiven. Matthew 6:15 instructs, "But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."  Unforgiveness blocks our relationship with God.  Forgive, if it comes up again, forgive again.  Do it seventy-seven times or as many times as it takes.  The enemy has a vested interest in keeping us in unforgiveness.  If he can keep us bound, we can't move forward in God's plan for our lives.  Forgive, not because you feel like it or you want to, but because you know that is what will set you and others free. 

Lord, in Jesus' name please show us the areas of our lives that we may be harboring unforgiveness.  Please give us the grace to forgive as many times as it takes.  Lord, thank you for the opportunity to be Your child and to live in Your light.  I pray that Your Holy Spirit fills our hearts and lives with Your glorious presence and enables us to shine to this dark world.  Amen.  I love You.

Patti