Charlotte Berger

cberger@thecherawchronicle.com

Matthew 18:20-22

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them. Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.

Forgiveness

It is not easy to truly forgive someone when we have been done wrong. Often in our lives, things do not always go the way they should. Satan causes us so many problems because we allow him to creep silently into our minds and hearts at times. He seems to know all of the right buttons to push. We cannot give in to Satan's whims. We must overcome his evilness and if we keep our hearts, thoughts and eyes on God, we have a 110 percent chance of getting into Heaven. I know it is easier said than done, but as Christians, it should come natural if we truly are in God's will.

One might ask, "Is it God's will for me to forgive my husband who cheated on me, or my neighbor who parties all of the time and disturbing my sleep?

I do not have all of the answers to these types of scenarios, but I can say that God wants us to forgive those who trespass against us; and to do it seventy times seven. God, on the other hand, does not want His children to be doormats either. Forgiveness does not come easy for everyone. But, we need to pray and ask God to open our hearts to hear what He wants us to know and do.

However, we all know that there are circumstances that enter our lives when we have no control over. But, we are to forgive them and pray for them because Jesus Christ loves them just as He loves those who do not participate in this type of lifestyle.

Christians are sinners saved by God's grace. Being a true Christian does not mean that we are perfect or we can do no wrong. The Bible says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All of us are human and are subject to mistakes, and God understands, but we must ask forgiveness as well as forgiving others.

If you have been holding a grudge a fault for someone, whether it be a family member, neighbor or anyone else, pray and seek God's will in that matter. He will guide you in the right direction and you will be able to receive God's blessings.

Being unfaithful to God and being unforgiving will result in blocking the true blessings of God in our lives. When God forgives us, He wipes our slate clean and does not remember our sins. Forgiving and forgetting go hand in hand. Saying that you truly forgive someone is like saying that it never really happened.