I. Scripture Reading — Matthew 18:21–22 (RSV-CE)
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.II. Meditation — The Letter Never Sent
A man once wrote a long letter to someone who had deeply hurt him. He poured out his anger, disappointment, and pain. Every word carried years of resentment.
When he finished, he sealed the envelope.
But he never mailed it.
Instead, he placed it in a drawer. Weeks later, he opened it again and read it. Something had changed. The anger felt heavy. The bitterness felt exhausting.
So he tore the letter apart and threw it away.
He said later, “Forgiveness didn’t change what happened. It changed what was happening inside me.”
Peter thought he was being generous when he suggested forgiving seven times. In Jewish culture, three times was considered enough. Seven sounded heroic.
But Jesus answered: “Seventy times seven.”
Not a number to count.
A way to live.Forgiveness is not about keeping score.
It is about setting the heart free.
III. Reflection — Why Forgiveness Is So Difficult
Forgiveness is one of the hardest commands in the Gospel.
Because wounds are real.
Betrayal hurts.
Words leave scars.
Memories linger.We often think:
“They don’t deserve forgiveness.”
“They never apologized.”
“They don’t understand my pain.”But Jesus does not say:
“Forgive if they deserve it.”He says:
“Forgive as you have been forgiven.”We forgive because:
God forgave us first.
Christ died for our sins.
Mercy flows through mercy.
Unforgiveness traps us in the past.
Forgiveness opens the future.Forgiveness does not mean:
Pretending nothing happened.
Allowing abuse.
Forgetting wisdom.
It means:
Releasing revenge.
Surrendering bitterness.
Trusting God with justice.
Every time you forgive, you choose freedom.
IV. Prayer — A Prayer for a Forgiving Heart
Merciful Jesus,
From the Cross You prayed,
“Father, forgive them.”You forgave in agony.
You forgave in betrayal.
You forgave in abandonment.And I struggle to forgive small things.
Lord, I bring You my wounds today.
The harsh words.
The broken trust.
The disappointments.
The memories that still hurt.I confess that I hold onto resentment.
I replay conversations.
I imagine revenge.
I protect my pride.Forgive me, Lord.
Heal my heart where it is wounded.
Soften it where it is hardened.
Free it where it is imprisoned by anger.Give me the grace to forgive —
not once,
not twice,
but continually.Help me forgive as an act of obedience,
even before I feel ready.Pour Your mercy into my heart
until it overflows to others.Jesus, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Amen.
V. Action for Today
Identify one person you struggle to forgive.
Pray for that person by name today.
Say aloud: “I choose to forgive with God’s grace.”
Release one negative thought about them.
Tonight reflect:
Who did I forgive today?
Where do I still need healing?
