The Reason to Forgive

 April 14, 2024

Sunday

Everyone has been hurt at some time in their lives. Some hurts are hard to forgive. The Christian forgives because he has been forgiven. He has the forgiveness of Christ in him. He depends upon Christ's forgiveness to enable his own forgiveness. Therefore, all forgiveness is based on the blood of Christ.

But what about the people who don't know Christ? How do they forgive?

It appears to me that they think forgetting is the same as forgiving. Thus, they depend on their ability to forget rather than forgive. And it works as long as the transgression isn't that great. We all had to forgive our elementary classmates when they said something that hurt us. We continued to play with them and the slight was forgotten.

That works until there is something so egregious that it can't be forgotten. Child abuse is rarely forgotten though it can be suppressed. Rape and severe beatings are rarely forgotten. Betrayal from someone very close is rarely forgotten. Even things that can be forgotten take their toll. They add up like dirty dishes piled up in a sink.

Now, if there is no way to forgive and forgetting is out of the question, what happens to the people who have collected these hurts? I believe this may be the basic reasons for road rage, unruly airplane passengers and maybe even some of the mass killings. Of course, mental illness plays a big part in these, but when people normally considered to be in their right mind act out of their minds, there must be a reason.

Consider this premise, please. People who can't forgive are collecting the hurts they have felt. They rehearse them in their memories so that they are hurt again and again by the same incident. It adds up to where their rage is always on the brink of eruption. Some plan retribution. Others just wait until their is an event that pushes them over the edge. How dare that person pull into their lane! That lifestyle is what's wrong with our country! I paid for this seat and I can do as I please!

What's the answer? I don't believe there is an answer without Jesus. People need to know His forgiveness to forgive others.

Matthew 18:21–22 (NASB 2020) ²¹ Then Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to seven times?” ²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times.