Forgiveness, God's example

I was thinking this past week about forgiveness. What does it mean to forgive, and what is the best example?

Forgiveness, it is the kind of love that God showed us that day when He died. For every soul. We mocked Him, beat Him, spat on Him, ridiculed Him...and yet He still forgave us. Right before He died He asked God "Forgive them, for they know not what they do." Someone gave their own life, and in their time of the greatest pain on earth known to man, crucifixion, they begged for the Father, Creator, and Lord of all the earth...to forgive us. We didn't say we were sorry, but He forgave us anyway. THAT is true forgiveness. Forgiving even when you weren't asked to.

One of my favorite examples are the verses in Matthew 18 that says, "Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

A perfect example, don't you think? We have been wicked, sinful people our whole lives. From the moment we were born, and shall be until we die and go to be with our Lord in heaven. Yet, our Father forgave us of all we have done, and will continue to. Not only that, but he will forgive us and FORGET what we have done. Why then, should we hold the small, penny-like hurts or such against people? It is selfish, and God will judge us for that. We will be like the servant who was forgiven the impossible debt, yet goes and finds someone who owes us a penny.

You can find verse after verse after verse in the bible about forgiveness. One of the best pictures, I think, is the master forgiving the debt that could not be paid. God tells us to forgive, and I have learned that even when I do forgive, satan will remind me of the hurt someone has caused over and over and over...he wishes to make me mad every time I think about the hurt someone has caused, and that is when I go to God, and beg Him to help me forgive again. Satan may bring up hurts the rest of my life, because he thinks he can harden my heart to people, and replace love with hate. But God can help anyone overcome any bitterness or anger, and in time, satan will finally give up, knowing he cannot get me in this area.