Release Forgiveness Towards Others And YourselfSampel

Forgiving again

Forgiving AGAIN? What is this, a new doctrine?

Actually, it’s not! It’s one of Jesus’s teachings that is really important for us to understand.

The other day, one of my friends was talking with me about a person who had really hurt me in the past by publicly slandering me on the Internet.

All of a sudden, even though I had already forgiven this person from the bottom of my heart and wished the person the very best, feelings from the past popped right back up. I was annoyed and angry, at the very least internally. I wanted to take action, get vengeance. But God is clear: vengeance is His, not ours…

Fortunately, God taught me an important truth. We have to forgive, and then forgive again. One day, Peter, one of Jesus’s disciples, approached his Master. He likely wanted to impress Him so he asked, ‘“Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”’ I think Peter tried his best, but Jesus’s response was surprising: 490 times!! (see the Bible, Matthew 18:21-22) 

Is it possible that someone could hurt us 490 times? It’s possible, though unlikely. Yet, if we think about how someone hurt us dozens, maybe hundreds of times per day—or even 7 times a day, for 70 days in a row (490)—unfortunately, this could definitely happen.

I believe that Jesus is teaching us that when these memories come back to haunt us, we need to forgive…actually, forgive again.

This forgiveness is a choice, and remaining in forgiveness is a choice as well. I made this choice concerning this person who had hurt me. I re-forgave the same person, not because of some new wrong done to me, but because the original wrong hurt again.

Take heart! I’m just like you…you’re not alone in needing to forgive again!

Declare with me: “Lord, the memories have come up again, and right now, I choose to re-forgive that person who hurt me. I release him/her to You, and I ask You to remove any lingering pain or bitterness from my heart. I choose Your freedom today! In Jesus’s name, amen.”

Thanks for existing! 

Eric Célérier