forgiving we can't forget
 Alicia Hadley read by Liam Martin
 then Peter came to him and said Lord how often should my brother sin against me and I forgive him up to seven times
 Jesus said to him
 I did not say to you up to seven times
 up to Seventy Times Seven Matthew 18:22
 we've all had someone in our life was hurt us
 it could be someone who hurt us as a child and the pain still follows us today
 perhaps it's someone we Face daily whether it's our spouse or someone with whom we work
 sometimes these wounds are easy to heal
 but what if the offense is so painful you can't forget it
 we're taught in Ephesians 4:32 the basis for believers forgiving others
 is the fact that we ourselves have been graciously forgiven by God
 God never says we are to forget an offense but simply forgive it
 for most of us forgiving what we can't forget isn't so simple
 in today's scripture Peter felt the same way Jesus response to Peter's question with an inexact number probably not what Peter was looking for Jesus was not saying we keep a tally of the times we forgive and then stopped after Seventy Times seven times Jesus was in playing a number that can't be counted continual forgiveness
 this means is that it'll take daily practice daily obedience daily forgiveness and its ongoing never-ending
 so how do we walk in continual forgiveness
 we do this by prayer
 Matthew 5:44 tells us where to pray and bless our enemies and those who have hurt us
 and day after day prayer after prayer the Lord will begin to chip away the pain and soften our hearts
 we may never forget the offense
 we can certainly replace that pain with a love and perspective that God plants on our heart through our prayers
 we don't always forget to hurt but we can allow God to change our heart as we forgive the hurt
 let us become more like Jesus day by day
 choose to forgive just as he forgave us
 let's pray dear God oh how we don't deserve your forgiveness
 day after day we send we fall short of what you have for us
 we are Unworthy of your mercy but you offer it to us new every morning
 Lamentations 3:23
 thank you Lord that when we were and ask for forgiveness that you remember our sins no more as it says in Hebrews 8:12
 Lord although we still remember and may not forget hurt you've given us the greatest example of forgiveness you sent your son to walk the same Earth we walk to experience the same hurt and betrayal we do and yet he chose to forgive
 help us to follow in Jesus's example remind us that prayer is one of our greatest weapons and through continual prayer praying for our enemies will begin to soften our hearts
 and give us the strength to forgive them
 how to see those who have hurt us the same way you see them
 help us to have compassion on them
 Father bless those who have wronged us
 show us where we're still holding back forgiveness so that we can begin the obedient steps of forgiving
 are we still remember hard to forget
 open her eyes to love that person replacing the hurt with love
 we thank you for forgiving us this day and everyday and commit to strive to do the same
 in Jesus name amen