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If you live long enough in a broken world the burden of unforgiveness has penetrated your heart. Left untreated it will fester and rot, spreading from your heart into your mind, your eyes, and finally your hands and feet. When left untreated the things you feel, see, and do will be contaminated by the consuming rot of unforgiveness. I know. I have lived with unforgiveness in my heart I have experienced its damage firsthand. I have also watched it eat others alive from the inside out. Forgiveness is hard, our minds tend to operate on a scope, someone cuts you off in traffic for most forgiveness is quickly given, if someone hurts your child the pill of forgiveness is hard to swallow.
Several years ago, I witnessed an act of forgiveness that imprinted on me, I will carry those five minutes of that day with me for the rest of my life. It was a mother, her 18-year-old son was brutally tortured and killed by a group of young men and in front of her on a screen sat one of the killers. She listened to him describe in detail the last few hours of her son’s life and when it was her time to speak, she stood, looked directly at him, and described the love and passion her son had for life, had for service, and had for Christ. She spoke softly about how much she missed him, how special he was, and then she ended by looking this man directly in the eyes and saying, as Christians we are called to forgive, I miss my son, I miss what was taken from me that day, but I forgive you. I was so overcome by her ability to say those words with conviction to the man who many years before took her baby from her. She is right, we are as Christians called to forgive.
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?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:21-22 NKJV
Unbounded forgiveness like that shown by this mother towards the man who murdered her child is the expectation. Jesus continues to describe in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Matthew 18:21-35. When I need to get my heart cleansed of the scourge of unforgiveness it is my answer.
23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 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.
18:23-34 NKJV
God has bestowed great mercy and forgiveness on each of us, he calls us to do the same towards ourselves and others. This is not a discussion of worthy or unworthy, it is an expectation from God that we forgive. Verse 35 is the elixir to remind me of all the forgiveness bestowed on me by God.
35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Matthew 18:35 NKJV
God, forgive me for the times I let unforgiveness consume me. For the times I held onto bitterness as a child clutches a blankie. Forgive me for the times I justified my burden of unforgiveness refusing to give it to you. I come before you today and commit to leaving unforgiveness at the Cross, it is a burden I cannot carry. Help me to practice forgiveness, illuminate the forgiveness you have graciously bestowed freely on me. Remind me of the sacrifice of Jesus for not just my sins but all sins. Search me, cleanse me, free me from this burden, I give it to you Lord. -Amen
May the words that flow from me Lord be filled with Your message and when I am obedient may they be backed by the Holy Spirit. When I serve righteously let none of the words, I utter in praise of You fall to the ground. Help me to craft every word, may they pierce hearts and refresh weary souls. This gift is Yours; God I simply aim to use it for your glory.
–Love Cortney