Even If

Luke 17:⁴ “Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

Forgiveness is not foolishness. Forgiveness is to choose to let it go. Forgiveness is not for the weak. In fact, if you are not strong, you cannot forgive. It is only the strong that can forgive. Forgiveness is not about being blind. What if the person has not changed? What if the person still wants to hurt you? You should protect yourself, but you should still forgive the person. Forgiveness means you would not hit the person back. Forgiveness means you would not repay evil with evil. If you have an opportunity to do the person good, you will – that is forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not trusting. The person may need to earn your trust again. The first time, you handed it over to him or her, but it was dumped in your face. So next time probably, he or she may need to work for it. The clearest example is, you have two chinaware that your great-grandmother gave your grandmother, your grandmother gave your mother, and your mother gave it to you out of all her fourteen children. Then your friend asks to borrow one out of the two chinaware. You value the friendship, but you also know that your friend is very careless. However, in the name of friendship, reluctantly, you handover the chinaware to your friend. “Be careful!”, you said. But like you know already, it got shattered. Your friend came back with the pieces of the chinaware begging for your forgiveness. Your first response was, “Just get out! I can never forgive you! You know what this china means to me. It is generational!”

He or she begs and begs and the Lord ministers to your heart and you forgive. Your friend says, “Have you really forgiven me?” You say, “Yes!” and your friend gets up and hugs you and says, “You are the best friend ever!” Then on the way out your friend asks, “Can I have the other chinaware?” Then you break out in a sweat and your friend says, “I thought you called yourself a Christian? Have you not forgiven me?” Now, question, have you not forgiven him or her? So why are you not giving him or her the chinaware? This is the best illustration I can use to explain the difference between forgiveness and trust. Some people will say, “You have not forgiven me! The Lord says you have not forgiven me because you have not given me the chinaware!” My response is, “Go and pray again!”

You need to let go of your worries, let go of your wounds. Thirdly, you need to let go of your wrongs. Let go of your wrongs, your sins, your mistakes, your regrets of the past. You need to let it go if you want the New-Streams to flow in your life. 1 John 1:⁹ “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (NIV). When it comes to wrongs, the solution is the Blood of Jesus; it is the only antidote to your past wrongs.

Prayer [Hymn]:  What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. O precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know; nothing but the blood of Jesus. Amen!