Years ago a thing happened and I forgave. It seemed not too terribly difficult at the time, perhaps it even became fast and easy as I practiced a bit more. However, years later I am still practicing this thing and still having difficulty with putting it away. Like a weed in the lawn, it just keeps inflicting suffering on me. Peter had a similar difficulty back in the day.
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."
Jesus gave Peter a tough one. Not seven times, but seventy times seven times. Like me and you, Peter probably sighed and realized that he was in this for the long haul. Forgiveness at first seems like one of the fastest and easiest actions we can take as Christians. Quick to forgive and hopefully quick to heal. However, as time goes on, some things or people just keep giving us the grief to bear. One sin may spawn another or something we cannot fix in our own strength just keeps hanging about inflicting pain, suffering, grief, and maybe even discontent. "Arrgh! I think I'm way past 490 times; why won't this thing just go away?"
The trying of our faith is a long journey, and some problems may accompany us the entire trip. Forgiveness may then become one of the most difficult, long-term, hardest to keep actions in our Christian life. Like Peter, I will go on forgiving as Christ strengthens me, and I hope that you will too.
Easter is coming; He is Risen!
Bucky
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