No limits

Luke 17:3-4 "...If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

Wow. I had to write about this because it so blatantly tells me that we cannot afford to be limited when it comes to forgiveness. We cannot choose to forgive once but never again. For as many times as God has forgiven me for doing the things I wish I didn't, the least I can do for others is to forgive the way He does. We also need to be that way. Endless forgiveness.

Ok, so how would you feel if your brother or friend or someone you know sins against you? You're probably at this point mad, frustrated, hurt, etc., right? So, you choose to forgive them and move on. But they do it again. And the second time it's harder to forgive, but you think they've learned their lesson, so you make the conscious effort to forgive. Then they do it again. And again, and again, and again, and...well, you get the picture. The first time is hard, but is it just me or would it keep getting harder to forgive each time you are wronged, especially when it's done continually yet they always come back asking for forgiveness?

As a human, I would be done after the 3rd time. Three strikes and you're out, buddy. Sorry, this girl can't take it anymore. My forgiveness meter is empty. I poured out my last drop on you...I can't give you more. That's me. But with God, I see Him keeping my meter full. Like He'll drop a quarter in the slot every couple hours to make sure I don't run out.

We can't afford to run dry on forgiveness and love, because then we can't show God's forgiveness and love to those around us. Everyone knows their limits. I have a feeling the person asking your forgiveness for the ??th time knows that they're past their limit, too, but they're hoping anyway. I think at that point they'd start to realize that there is a God. And He's bigger. Way bigger than what any of us are going through right now. And that's a powerful testimony. So much bigger than anything we can do on our own. Which is why it's so necessary to let God work in us so He can work through us to do His will and shine His light to those around us who may not deserve, in fact, no one deserves it, but then again, we were in the same place once, too.