Thought for the Day - Monday 10 May

Thought for Monday 10 May From Jenny Rankin, Wrangholm Matthew 18: 21+22 (NIVUK) 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ 22 Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. These verses put it in a nutshell. We are to forgive those who treat us badly, not just once but as many times as they ask for it. In the same way that we come to God time after time to ask for His forgiveness, often for the same thoughts, words or deeds over and over again. I’m sad to say that’s usually the way with me. When people hurt or betray us it is often hard for us to look past the hurt to find the grace to forgive. However, we don’t have the choice to withhold that forgiveness if we want the same grace shown to us by God. This is made clear in Matthew 6: 14+15 where it says,  “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins”. Believe me, I need too much forgiveness to take a chance on not forgiving those who have hurt me, either in the past or in the future. That’s not to say that we need to set ourselves up to be betrayed or hurt in any way. We are definitely not Godlike in that way we are flawed humans. When God forgives us He can forget it, not because He is forgetful but because He chooses not to remember. Sadly, we don’t have the ability to deliberately ‘not remember’ things. If we do manage to keep a memory at bay while we are awake it can turn up in a dream or a nightmare. If you have ever struggled to forgive someone you have possibly realised that the other person sometimes isn’t even aware of having done anything to you that needs forgiving. Withholding forgiveness in this case hurts you more than it does them. My personal thought on this is that God is prodding you toward the forgiveness you need to grant the other person. Ask God for help if you need to. But forgive! So many folks I know have told me they can’t forgive someone. However, after a while they often become obsessed by the thought of whatever the other person did, or didn’t do, bitterness appears because the offender is getting on with their life while the aggrieved party is so stuck in the offence that it has become a millstone around their neck to be worn daily. Nothing is worth having to live like that. Prayer Forgiving Father, give us the grace to be able to forgive others as You forgive us. We thank you for all Your grace and mercy, undeserved but so gratefully accepted. Help us to forgive even those who deliberately set out to cause hurt, realising that this may be caused by greater hurt in them. Amen.