I was recently sent an e-mail through my website from someone that "wronged" me many years ago, they inaccurately quoted scripture asking "if wronged 7 times the Lord said forgive 7 times" For the record the correct passage is:
"Then coming up to Him, Peter said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?
Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, Until seven times, but, Until seventy times seven.
Mathew 18:21-22
I tend to get leery when the Bible gets quoted to me wrong by someone, as it makes me wonder whether they made just a simple error or they are using my grace as a Christian to manipulate me, but that aside.
Let it be known to that individual, that you have been forgiven many years ago.
I won't detail all the reason why forgiveness is so important psychologically and spiritually, but I will detail this:
WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT:
To forgive is not to forget the harm someone caused you. Nor is it simply letting your anger, pain or resentment fade over time. Failing to address your negative feelings is not forgiveness either.
To forgive is not to excuse--by forgiving someone who has offended you, you do not overlook or in any way condone that person's harmful words or actions.
To forgive is not to pretend that you were never hurt or harmed.
Forgiveness is not reconciliation between the hurt person and the person who imposed the harm. Reconciliation requires the effort and participation of both persons involved to settle their differences, whereas forgiveness only requires the determined effort of the person harmed.
Many people make the mistake of assuming that once forgiven that a relationship will return to it previous status and state, nothing could be further from the truth. You can forgive someone and then for your own health and safety, sever all ties to the perpetrator of the crime. Forgiveness in no way means putting yourself in a position to be victimized again.
The point is that forgiveness is not for the other person, for the perpetrator, for the transgressor. Forgiveness is for the one who is doing the forgiving.
I would encourage this person if they are truly contrite and wish further peace to turn to Jesus Christ read His Word through the Holy Scriptures. If reading the Word is to daunting then I highly recommend:
Inspired by . . . the Bible Experience: The Complete Bible (Audio CD)
Available at Amazon.Com (Click HERE)
Peace & God Bless
Charles
