(Mat 18:21-22 NKJV) 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.
OUCH! In other words there is NO room in our hearts for harboring unforgiveness.
We can’t take this lightly. It is something that God points out very clearly. (Luke 6:37 NKJV) “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
I don’t think we realize the danger in not forgiving someone. (Mat 18:34-35 NKJV) “And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. {35} “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
One day, I was counseling someone, this person drank and drank to hide her pain that she had in her heart. I asked her one time during one of our talks if she wanted to pray. She said “I don’t know how to pray”. I said it’s easy, just like you’re talking to me now, you can talk to God. So she began telling God how she felt, and the more she talked, it all came out; every little feeling she had came out.
She was suffering deep inside from something terrible her very own brother did to her as a child. It was something no one knew about but her. She carried this for years. But on this day, she spilled it out and left it with God!
She forgave her brother for what he did to her, as hard as it was, and from that day she was on a better road. Praise be to God, she forgave and her life was changed after that. There were better days ahead for her!!
The longer we hold onto unforgiveness, the more space it takes up in our heart. God wants our whole heart!!
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-377-5400
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