DEEPER STILL: Week Thirty-Seven
The Ongoing Call to Forgiveness
Matthew 18:21-22
“Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘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.'”
Reflections
Trauma does not always play fair. Sometimes, the memory returns with a tidal wave of pain—days, months, even years after you have said, “I forgive you.” Forgiveness in those moments can feel like a cruel cycle: “Didn’t I already let this go? When will this struggle be released? What hidden part did I not forgive?” Jesus is not surprised by this. When He told Peter to forgive 70 times 7, He was not giving a math problem—He was giving us permission to forgive again… and again… and again.
Each time the memory resurfaces, it is another opportunity to say, “I choose to release this once again to the One who knows it fully.” It’s a heart position. We don’t release it because the offense did not matter, but because our healing does. Sometimes it feels like the pain will not let you move on. But every act of re-forgiveness breaks a link in the chain that wants to hold your heart captive.
Still, there is wisdom in how we process what happened. Replaying the offense in your mind in vivid detail—over and over—can become a trap. While it is important to name the truth of what happened, it is just as important to guard your mind from obsessive re-living of the experience. You can acknowledge the pain without nurturing the poison. Often, in the offender’s life, behind the act of offense lies more than personal failure—there are generational patterns, sinful longings, or unresolved wounds. Sometimes, it is even darker: evil acting simply for evil’s sake. Understanding those root themes does not excuse the harm, but it can help you detach from carrying responsibility that was never yours to hold.
In forgiveness, we are not called to erase our memory—but we are called to steward it. When thoughts of the offense come, you do not have to examine every detail again. Instead, you can ask: What truth do I need to remember right now? What lie do I need to reject? The enemy would love nothing more than for you to stay trapped in the pit of pain. But Christ offers a way through—even if it takes years of processing and releasing to get to the other side for healing.
Seventy times seven forgiveness is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you are refusing to let bitterness win. When Jesus instructed Peter to keep on forgiving, He was inviting us into a rhythm of grace that allows space for our humanity—and for God’s healing to deepen over time.
Is there an offering of grace you need to give yourself in this area of forgiveness?
Prayer
Lord, I didn’t know I’d have to forgive so many times. I feel weary. Please strengthen me with Your grace and patience. Remind me that I’m not failing—I’m healing.
