If I am driving down the highway and another driver dangerously cuts me off, I am usually forgiving and let his actions slide. If the same driver does it again, I probably begin to get a bit anxious. If he continues to do this, I will likely become angry.
Fortunately, God does not have a short fuse like me. I don’t know about you, but I sin many times a day. By that I mean that I choose to do what I want to do over what I know that God wants me to do. That is sin! God could strike me down immediately to punish my insolence and disobedience. But He has provided forgiveness for our sins through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. Since I have accepted and believed in His gift of salvation, God chooses to show mercy to me. He is rich in mercy and does not limit His forgiveness toward me.
Luke 17:3-4 says, “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in a day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” Just as God does not limit His forgiveness toward those who trust Him, we should not limit our forgiveness for the sins of others, even if those sins are committed against us. We must grant mercy, as receivers of God’s mercy.
Reluctant Retiree 