Matthew 18:34-35 “And in anger the master turned the servant over to the prison guards to torture him until he repaid all he owed. So also, My Heavenly Father will do to you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
In dealing with this theme of forgiveness, we must also consider its opposite. Just as forgiveness is a blessing, un-forgiveness is a curse poisoning all good things. It Impacts us spiritually, mentally, and even physically. Indeed, it causes the whole person to be sickened to the core. The parable of the unforgiving servant begins with a massive debt that cannot be repaid. The servant’s debt is then forgiven, but he, who was freed from the massive debt, refuses to forgive a lesser debt. The story ends tragically with that servant once again owing the debt he cannot repay. The parable lays out the law of God in simple terms: to remain forgiven we must learn to forgive! This isn’t advice, it isn’t an option; it is a stark warning.
Recently, I have observed a trend in many Christians who have turned their backs on any belief in Jesus. They have not merely given up on the Faith, they have become bitter enemies of God and all things Christian. What has pushed them to such an opposite extreme? I believe it is rooted in the curse of un-forgiveness. Some of them were perhaps wounded by fellow Christians and have been unwilling to forgive. Others have possibly taken offense against God for things they do not understand in the world. Any wounds left unresolved can bring one to a prison of misery. By choosing the curse, people are robbed of the healing power of forgiveness and end up back at square one, filled with misery and owing God a debt they can never repay.
The world is filled with barbs of hatred and offense. Many Christians are getting pulled into the pit of misery. We must be vigilant to choose the blessing and not the curse. Forgiving others is not easy; at times it can feel impossible. That is when forgiveness requires prayer, contemplation, and the consideration of our massive debt that has been forgiven. When we allow our will to be crucified with Christ then the waves of mercy flow and the blessing of forgiveness is poured out. We can hope that the blessing will benefit the forgiven, but it certainly impacts the forgiver. It releases us from burdens we cannot carry and it revives our souls. Like the fragrant oil that was poured out upon Jesus, forgiving others is a costly expression of our faith. We forgive knowing that we have been forgiven!