Is it easy to forgive those who have willfully harmed you? Impossible without the help of Holy Spirit. But all things are possible in Christ who strengthens us.
Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
But it is so easy to understand when we look at it in the eyes of our Father who loves all of His creation enough to give His only begotten Son to die so that we could stand in His righteousness and not our own sin.
James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.
As believers we need to speak words of encouragement and not of condemnation. There is no place for gossip in our lives.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of grace. We then accept the invitation by Holy Spirit to change our life to follow Him. We are justified freely by God’s grace in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. His righteousness was given that He might be the justifier of those that believe.
Matthew 18:32–35
32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” The New King James Version
Up to seventy times is a generous offer, but not enough for Jesus. In Luke 17:4, Jesus suggests unlimited forgiveness by using the number seven, which often represents totality or completeness.
Since God has lavishly forgiven Jesus’ disciples, they should continuously extend that same forgiveness. This is the point of Jesus’ parable and relates back to Matthew 21–22. Faithlife Study Bible
This parable reiterates the principle that we should forgive others because God forgives us. This verse is a warning about the penalty for not forgiving others. All of a Christian’s sins are forgiven and forgotten forever. But this parable illustrates the Christian duty to forgive others. If our forgiveness should be in direct proportion to the incredible amount that we have been forgiven, then we must always be willing to forgive. The NKJV Study Bible
Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
Matthew 6:14–15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Despite how worldly situations might appear, it's not kings, politicians, soldiers or influencers who guide the course of history. As we're reminded in Proverbs 16:9, "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."
Why is this comforting? Because whether a ruler in power is evil or righteous, God's plan and purposes will prevail. Whether our personal choices are wise or foolish, God's promises remain true. Whether our circumstances are encouraging or disheartening, God's sovereignty is unchanging.
As we embrace these truths, we recognize that God doesn't let a moment slip by without purpose. When life seems to fall apart, we can trust that God is holding it all together. First5
Yes. Grace, indeed, is WD40 for the soul.
You see, as long as success is measured by keeping score (weighing or honoring the wrong stuff), we lose track of our well-being that comes from the inside—the self-compassion that makes us human and therefore, glad to be alive.
We forget (in the words of John O’Donohue), “To have a reverence always for the immensity that is inside of you. The wild flow of energy in the well of the soul. It is impossible to stop the well of energy and the well of light and the well of life that is inside of you. You might calm it and quell it, but it will still rise up within you.”
You are a child of God, and it wouldn’t hurt to cut yourself some slack.
Self-compassion grounds us.
And, with this gift, there is healing in beauty. Now we see the sacred in the ordinary of our everyday.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. The Book of Philippians. Sabbath Moments
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