Matthew 18:21-22 KJV – “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
The study of mathematics begins early in life. Toddlers start counting fingers, toes, and blocks long before learning addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Why, then, is it hard for adults to grasp the spiritual arithmetic—seventy times seven—behind forgiveness? Because, like math, forgiveness rarely comes naturally and is constantly being tested.
Knowingly or unknowingly, people hurt us, and those bumps and bruises expose our willingness to forgive. Do we give God the pain we’re experiencing or keep a mental ledger to count and recount others’ wrongdoings?
Believer, God loves you too much to allow you to remain in a state of unforgiveness because it divides you and Him as well as you and that person. Refusing to forgive wounds the heart of God, who freely forgave us “all our trespasses.” (Colossians 2:13)
Forgiveness is not a matter of calculation. It is the right response for those whom Christ has forgiven. The psalmist asked, “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” (Psalm 130:3) The answer is no one, and that includes you and me! So, if God doesn’t keep a record, should we?
Four hundred and ninety times—seventy times seven—isn’t the upper limit or cut-off point in releasing offenses, but it gives us a target to shoot for. When forgiving with such generosity seems beyond you, all God asks is that you point your feet in the right direction. He will help you move.
