The Hardest Thing Jesus Asks Us To Do // M-Note 10.9.26

Of all the things Jesus asks us to do, forgiveness may be the one that I wrestle with most on a daily basis. First, forgiving others raises a bunch of hard questions. Do they need to be remorseful? What if they refuse to change or repeat the behavior? Does forgiveness mean saving someone from the consequences of their behavior? When you forgive someone, do you have to reconcile with them and stay in a relationship? Secondly, forgiveness is hard because it seems unfair. Someone hurts me, but I am the one who has the burden of giving up a right to anger or resentment and instead forgiving. Finally, when someone makes me angry, I don’t always want to let them off the hook. I want them to know that what they did was wrong or hurtful. Forgiveness can feel like condoning or excusing bad behavior.

Yet even with all these complications, when Peter asks Jesus how many times we should forgive? Jesus says not 7 but 77 times! Jesus never really wavers or makes exceptions, He wants us to forgive, not so much for the sake of the other person, but for our own hearts. Forgiveness is the means by which we cleanse our own hearts and make sure that righteous anger doesn’t hang around long enough that it turns into bitterness and resentment. It is one thing to feel angry; it is another to become an angry person.

This weekend, I am going to talk about  the phrase “Forgive and Forget” as we continue to unpack Christian cliches. I will talk about where this idea came from, the truth in it, and most importantly, how it is misunderstood and misused against people who have been hurt.

I bet I am not the only one who wrestles with forgiveness. If you know someone who has been hurt or is working through anger, this is the best week to invite them to come hear the message. Offering a simple invitation for someone to come with you to church is one of the easiest ways you can make a difference in the life of someone you care about.

I hope you will bring someone along to church, and I can’t wait to see you Sunday.

Peace,

Matt