70 x 7

Forgive: 

transitive verb

1

a :  to give up resentment of or claim to requital for<forgive an insult>

b :  to grant relief from payment of <forgive a debt>

2

:  to cease to feel resentment against (an offender) : pardon <forgive one's enemies>

Wow.

I can honestly say that I've never read the actual definition of 'forgive'. To all of those people that I've "forgiven", I've never once thought "I am no longer holding a grudge." If I were more honest, I would really be saying "I'm a Christian and this is what Christians are supposed to do." And because of that I feel so selfish.

When Christ says "forgive others as I have forgiven you," he uses the word  in the most literal way. He wipes away all resentment and forgets about it. 

The slate is clean. We're given a new beginning. A second chance. 

Is that what we do to the people that hurt us? I know I certainly don't. Most of the time it's a quick "I forgive you" proceeded by my venting to another friend the next day about how I had been hurt. 

The truth is, that is so wrong. It's sick. When I forgive someone, it needs to be from the heart. 

A clean slate. A new beginning. A second chance. 

And to anyone who I have verbally "forgiven" and still feels resentment from me, I want to honestly, wholeheartedly apologize to you and forgive you. I want to forgive you the way my Lord Jesus has forgiven me. 

Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. -Matthew 18:21, 22

xo