Life teaches us about conflict—from children arguing over a movie to couples debating dinner. Conflict itself isn’t the problem; how we handle it is. Avoidance may feel easier, but it never brings resolution. Wounds fester, relationships deteriorate, and the weight of unresolved pain drags us down.
Jesus gave a radically different approach in Matthew 18: when someone sins against you, go to them directly, privately, and seek reconciliation. If needed, involve one or two witnesses, and then the wider community—but always with the goal of restoration, not victory.
Peter asked Jesus how often we should forgive—seven times? Jesus’ answer shocked him: not seven, but seventy-seven times. The point isn’t math; it’s stop counting. Forgiveness is unlimited.
Jesus illustrated this with a parable: a servant owed a king an impossible debt, yet was forgiven entirely. That same servant then refused to forgive a smaller debt owed to him. The king’s response was clear: unforgiveness is unacceptable. We are that servant—sinners forgiven by God’s mercy through Christ. And now we are called to extend that same forgiveness to others.
Unforgiveness is a weight we weren’t meant to carry. Imagine a backpack full of bricks you lug everywhere—work, home, church, life. The ironic truth: it hurts us more than anyone else. Forgiveness isn’t primarily for them; it’s for us. It frees us from anger, bitterness, and resentment.
Forgiveness is not a one-time act. It’s daily, sometimes hourly. We must consciously choose to release the offense repeatedly until it no longer controls us. And we don’t do it alone—Jesus promises His presence in these hard moments: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Your job isn’t to convince, control, or change anyone. It’s to plant seeds of reconciliation and trust God with the results.
Today, who comes to mind when you think of unforgiveness? What weight are you carrying? The invitation is simple: forgive. Not because they deserve it, not because it’s fair, but because you’ve been forgiven much. Free people free people. Stop counting. Start forgiving. And discover the life God intends—a life unburdened by yesterday’s pain.
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