4 - LORD'S PRAYER - the Servant's PetitionsSample

08 – When Should I Forgive?

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12, NIV)

What can I do to overcome my struggle to forgive those who offend me?

The answer lies in drawing near to Jesus Christ—seeking to grasp the depth of what He endured on the cross for you and for me. His suffering was the ultimate demonstration of God’s complete selflessness and His immense love for humanity—and, in the end, for me personally. When I look at the cross, I am moved and compelled to forgive—always.

If Christ had insisted on His own rights, my reconciliation with the Father would never have been possible! Nothing crushes my selfishness more than contemplating Christ on the cross. It is there that my insignificant pride turns to dust, and all I think I possess—all I think I am—fades into nothing.

Only after that encounter can I begin to see my own flaws clearly. And only then can I begin to extend forgiveness to others. My willingness to forgive is living proof of my personal experience of the forgiveness I’ve received from “our Father in heaven.” Because I have been forgiven—I forgive.

Jesus taught: “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” (Luke 17:3–4, NIV)

And in Matthew’s Gospel, He went even further: “…not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:22, NIV)

The message is clear: we are called to forgive—always. Every single time.