Divine Imperatives August 30 Devotional
by David Joynt on August 30, 2023
Stress Test Devotional May 18
May 18, 2024
MATTHEW 18:21-22 | 21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.”
The urgency Jesus demands in seeking reconciliation indicates its priority in His mind. Part of the reason for this is the potential that these hard moments have to deepen and strengthen our ties to each other. A broken bone, once healed, can be stronger than it was originally. A relationship in which hurt is overcome through forgiveness will be stronger then it was previously. Just as meeting challenges builds character in us as individuals, getting past obstacles builds maturity into our friendships and family relationships. Giving and receiving the gift of forgiveness lifts hidden weights off our souls. It is freeing, and absolutely necessary in a world where we will fail and let one another down.
Have you experienced deeper relationships through forgiveness and reconciliation?
Gracious God,
I want to experience the “incredible lightness of being” that comes with reconciliation and forgiveness. Help me to be forgiving and forgiven.
Amen.
