Forgiveness :)

“Take heed to yourselves:  if your brother trespass against you, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  And if he trespass against you seven times in a day turn again to you, saying I repent, you shall forgive him” – Luke 17:3-4

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”-Our Father

Forgiveness can be a difficult subject.  In Luke 17:3-4, Jesus tells us to forgive a person who “trespass” against us “if he repent”.  Which begs the question, do we only need to forgive someone if they are sorry?

In addition, Jesus taught us to pray the Our Father.  “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”.  I have to admit that this prayer makes me feel that I need to forgive others because God has forgiven me.  And I have to share that when I pray this prayer, I feel the need to forgive everyone, whether they are sorry or not, because I want God to forgive me.

But a friend recently shared something with me that I found so very helpful.  If I lay the burden of my sins at the feet of the Lord, perhaps I also need to lay the burden of the pain from those who “trespass” against me.

If I am honest, forgiveness usually comes fairly easily to me.  But every once in a while, someone does truly cause me pain.  And I struggle with forgiving them.  Not because I am not willing to forgive them, but because I feel unable.  For example, I think about that particular hurt.  And the minute I think about it, I realize I take my forgiveness back, lol.

But my friend was right, it’s a burden I carry unnecessarily.  I need to give it to Jesus and let Him carry it for me.  He loves me so, and doesn’t want me to carry anything to heavy ?