Seventy times Seven The Transforming Power of Forgiveness

The need for forgiveness is universal; it is not a gender, race, or socioeconomic issue but one belonging to all humanity. No one is immune to sin; whether intentional or not, we make mistakes that lead to sin. We hurt one another and grieve God in the process. Yet, sin (ones we commit or ones inflicted upon us) does not have to be the defining storyline of one’s life; quite the opposite — something quite extraordinary can arise.

Recognition of sin can be the catalyst for growth and change. To admit wrongdoing, feel remorse, and ask for forgiveness can be difficult. But the real challenge in forgiveness lies in what Jesus said we must do, forgive as we have been forgiven.

…It is in this challenging work of forgiving that the whole of the gospel story comes to fruition in one’s life, for it requires faith and trust far beyond our ability. The apostles learned this when Peter asked Jesus how many times one must forgive another for the same offense and wondered if perhaps seven was enough. (Matthew 18: 21–22) Jesus’ answer of not just seven but 70 x 7 blew their 1st century minds as equally as it does ours today! They replied to Jesus, “Lord, increase our faith!” They knew it was not in their ability to do such an impossible thing. Jesus’ reply was not about a number; He was challenging them to grow to depend entirely on Him, not their abilities. That challenge, the call to lose ourselves and depend upon Christ to help us forgive others, results in a faith that changes us. Forgiveness is the conduit through which the transformed life begins to unfold.

…It is through forgiveness that we begin to “live different.” This phrase came to me from a woman in a developing nation. I had come to teach women and children, yet upon meeting her, I had the sense that I was the one about to learn a significant truth. A tiny scarlet thread wound about her wrist. I asked her what its significance was. Her stilted answer in broken English was a puzzle to me. “It is my Bible.” I thought perhaps I had misunderstood her. She then took me to her tattered Bible, opening to the Gospels and the red-letter words of Jesus. Pointing to the thread bracelet about her wrist, she said, “It is my Jesus, my forgiveness. I look and remember now I live different.” Her scarlet thread spoke to my heart that day, as did her words. I had been on a forgiveness journey; it had been part of the life story God had given me. I had been asked to speak on the topic at several women’s events, and then I began to write about it, all the time wondering why I felt compelled to write on a topic about which countless volumes already exist.

What was I going to add to the conversation on forgiveness? Forgiveness is the core of Christianity; it is the scarlet thread weaving throughout the Bible as the message of God, bringing restoration out of brokenness, redemption out of hopelessness, and light out of darkness. Simply put, forgiveness is the story of the Bible. Yet, it is a story with a chapter that seems to go unnoticed.

Somewhere in all the dialogue on forgiveness, I felt something was missing. We tend to view forgiveness as the end of the gospel story. For many, the culmination of the gospel is the scene of Jesus on the cross. His final words were, “It is finished.” Jesus Christ became the atonement needed to restore humanity to the Creator. Only through Jesus can anyone be forgiven

and restored, the broken made whole. I wonder if we can fully grasp and comprehend this gift, this act of selfless love which cleanses us from sin. Yet to see forgiveness as only the path to salvation and eternal life is to severely limit what our Lord and Savior did (and still does) for us. Are you ready for more good news?

Forgiveness isn’t the end of the story; it is where our story begins. Forgiveness is not just about the eternal salvation we get; it’s about who we become in the process. It’s not just about the future and a home in heaven; it’s about the present, the right here and right now. Sinful, broken, spiritually bankrupt humanity now has hope for restoration to the fullness of life God intends for His creation. Forgiveness puts us in a right relationship with our Creator opening the door to new life and spiritual conversion. If forgiveness doesn’t lead to the transformation of the human

spirit, of our character aligning with the divine nature, then there’s a terrible hole in the good news of the Gospel.

…There is no more significant life journey for the human spirit than learning the depths of love and forgiveness. Receiving forgiveness from God is where our spiritual journey begins. Along the way, something remarkable happens as we learn to love those who challenge us and forgive the ones who have wounded us. We are changed in the process, becoming one who begins to resemble the character and nature of Jesus, for we are never closer to the image of the Savior than when we forgive.