Matthew 18:21-22  Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Oh, that Peter, he just had to ask…..  Clearly, Peter probably had someone in mind when he asked the question.  There must have been someone that he was losing patience with having to forgive over and over.  Something prompted him to ask if there was a limit to forgiving others.  

It can be frustrating if you feel as though you keep forgiving and forgiving and yet that person just continues on without a care in the world.  It is what we are called to do though.  God doesn’t really leave forgiveness up for debate and it certainly isn’t optional in His sight.  As it says in Matthew 18: 35, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”  If we want to walk with God and experience daily forgiveness for anything we do wrong in God’s sight, then we must choose to forgive others.  That doesn’t mean you trust, it means you choose to forgive and you allow God to heal your wounded or broken heart and allow Him to work in that other person’s heart. If possible, you may need to distance yourself from that person, but if it isn’t possible then ask God to give you the strength and wisdom you need for that situation. You must trust God to do what is right and best for everyone involved, even if it doesn’t seem fair in the moment.  He promises to vindicate you.

We have been raised in a world where we are taught that we need to “look out for #1” and “if it feels good do it” and the list goes on and on with so many ideas that you need to be your main focus because if you aren’t then who is going to look out for you?  God!  God will look out for you!  You need to trust that if you do what is right and you follow Him with your whole heart that He will look out for you and trust me, He can do that better than you or anyone else!  Do you really think that you can get revenge better than God can?  Do you think that if you hold a grudge eventually that other person will get their act together and do what is right by you?  

It’s time to focus on doing what is right, even when it may not be comfortable.  We need to dig deep into the Word of God and ask Him to show us what He wants.  What does He say is right and best.  It’s time to shut out what the world has to say and set aside maybe even what we feel we deserve in the moment and seek God. He says He will vindicate and He will have your back just as He did David’s, but in order for that to happen, we need to seek God just like David did.  

Doing what is right isn’t always easy because these days it seems to go against everything you see and hear around you.  Forgiving someone over and over isn’t easy either, but it is what will get you through to the other side of that thing.  I would encourage you today to seek God, let go of your agenda, ask Him for the strength and wisdom to do what He says you need to do, and then trust Him that truly His best is yet to come!

Quote:  “He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he, himself, must pass.  ~ Lord Herbert