And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”

Luke 17:4 (NRSV)

Jacquelyn Lynn speaks about forgiveness in a sermon at Tuskawilla Presbyterian Church.
Below are highlights from her message.

You must forgive.

Jesus is abundantly clear. When someone hurts us, we must forgive them.

Forgiveness is one of the key tenets of our Christian faith.

God forgives us and we are supposed to forgive one another. But it’s not always easy. Even so, we should try to do for others as God does for us and as God has commanded us to do: Show mercy and forgive sinners.

Here are five things you can do to take a successful walk on the path to forgiveness.

1. Pray.

Use prayer to help you block out all the negative emotions so you can begin the process of forgiving.

2. Take an honest and complete look at what really happened.

Take the time to understand the motivation of the person or people who injured you as well as your role in the situation.

3. Figure out what good can come of the situation.

How is God going to work in your life to turn your pain into something positive?

4. Let go of getting even.

Justice and judgment is God’s job, not yours.

5. Pray.

Pray always, about everything, especially for the person who harmed you.

As you use these steps to move forward on the path to forgiveness, remember one final thing: forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting.

We shouldn’t forgive and forget.

What we should do is forgive and learn.

Forgive and grow.

Forgive and let go.

Forgive and be set free.

If you enjoyed this message, you'll enjoy Finding Joy in the Morning: You can make it through the night and its companion books, Finding Joy Journal, Finding Joy in the Morning Adult Coloring Book and Intentional Joy Study Guide.

Jacquelyn Lynn
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