Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Forgiveness and faith. Being in obedience to Christ requires two things: showing forgiveness and having faith. Jesus warns us not to falter to those who tempt us with sin. In Luke 17:1, Jesus told His disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!” It’s easy to think of someone else when we read this verse, but how does it apply to our own lives?

As humans, it’s so hard not to get caught up in the “now.” We’re always too quick to jump in and be the solution, defend ourselves against those who cause chaos in our lives, or be the right one in the room. Luke 17:3 says, “If one person sins, rebuke them, if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times and each time repents, you must forgive.” Jesus’ command is simple; forgive. That can sometimes be the hardest part, but if we continue to let one person's sin take up room in our lives and manifest, we become the ones carrying the burden. And when we act on that, we are found just as guilty, and our sin can cause another, then another, like a forest catching fire. I’m not an expert on this topic by any means. I remind myself that God is in control, and I give praise to Him because Jesus paid the ultimate price so we could be forgiven and shameless before Him.

I don’t know who is on your heart when you read the word forgiveness, but take this moment to pray for them.

Reflection:

• Ask God to show you whom you need to forgive and whom you need to ask for forgiveness.
• Pray for God to soften your heart and give you the strength to forgive those who have wronged you.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Family Application: Forgiveness

By: Todd and Cynthia Kilbourne

Luke 17:3b-4 says “If your brother sins, rebuke him: and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

This command from Jesus is sometimes hard. It goes against our desire for justice or getting even. But because Jesus commanded it, we know it’s the right thing to do.

Even the apostles knew this would be hard because they said in Luke 17:5, “‘Increase our faith!’ but the Lord said, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, be uprooted and be planted in the sea: and it would obey you.’” Did Jesus really mean you should tell a tree to move? I think He meant that if you have the smallest amount of faith in God, then God can use it to do what seems impossible. He grows our faith in Him so that we can trust Him to do the really hard things.

When we decide to have a relationship with Jesus, the first thing we have to do is repent or ask God to forgive us for our sins. Because he is a loving God, He does forgive us. That’s why Jesus died on the cross – to allow us to be forgiven for our sins. So, God wants us to be loving to others by forgiving them for their sins against us. He doesn’t want us to hold grudges because that only hurts us in the long run. When we don’t forgive, it’s like holding the core of an apple that you’ve finished eating. Instead of throwing it away, you keep it in your hand. Now you have to be thinking, how can I do things if I only have one hand available? Throwing the apple in the trash is like forgiving someone. You are free to let go and not think about it anymore. Forgiving someone gives you the freedom to love them instead of focusing on their sins.

• Who do you need to forgive? Is there someone you need to ask for forgiveness? Pray for God to help you forgive or ask for forgiveness.
• Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be more like You in my actions and my words. Help me to forgive others, even when it is hard. Please help me to trust You with my life and all that is going on in it. We love You, and we thank You for giving us examples in the Bible to help us follow after You. Thank You for loving us and forgiving us for our sins. In Jesus’ name, amen.