Limitless

by Nov 4, 2016Easy and Light

Limitless

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.”

Matthew 18:22 (NIV)

How do you forgive someone who keeps doing the same thing, over and over again? This is essentially what Peter asked Jesus in the above verse. He was saying, “I guess I could figure out how to forgive a few times, but how much is too much? I mean, we have to have a limit somewhere.” Jesus answered: seventy times seven. Rather than a literal number, His answer reveals His heart: There is no limit. Just a short time later, Peter would understand the magnitude of this conversation. He betrayed his best friend three times, catapulted into despair when Jesus died, and then witnessed Him coming back from the grave. Peter then felt the guilt of his sin lifted and experienced the freedom of forgiveness as he spent time with his Savior in the days following the resurrection.
Jesus, thank you for dying for my sin when you died on the cross. Thank you for forgiving me every day, even when I keep doing that same thing over and over again. Thank you for freeing me from the weight of guilt and sin. As I remember what You did for me, help me to forgive others, even those difficult to forgive. Amen.

I have struggled in my life to forgive. I want limits, like Peter did — seven times, and then I’m done. Yet as a believer, I have access to limitless love, forgiveness, acceptance, and grace. No matter what I have done or will do – it was and is forgiven – once, for all. So when a certain person does that certain thing they do every day, how do I keep forgiving? While this is not easy for me, I remember that I have been forgiven, over and over again. I remind myself that I am that certain person who does that certain thing every day, and Jesus has already forgiven me. Beth Moore says, “We are not free to love in the true intent of the word until we have found love” (Praying God’s Word). The same can be said of forgiveness. Once we have found our freedom in God’s limitless forgiveness, we are free to forgive others. His grace is enough.

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