In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” This means the Lord’s Prayer is only rightly spoken by those who have eleēmones—a merciful, compassionate heart. Do not recite the Lord’s Prayer if you do not possess a merciful heart. Too often, we say it without proper understanding. If we truly long to live righteously, the Lord will discipline us. In Mark 11:24–26, Jesus emphasizes that His response to our prayers depends greatly on our relationships with others. If we are about to present an offering—prayer, worship, or praise—but there is an unresolved matter with a brother, we must settle it first. Here lies the moral greatness of Christianity.
If one day we meet someone hostile toward us, we must strive to live in peace with everyone (Heb. 12:14–15). It must be admitted that many illnesses are not only caused by viruses but by a root of bitterness kept alive in the heart—bitterness and vengeance left unresolved. There is no benefit in holding a grudge; only inner damage results.
In Matthew 18:21–23, the Lord teaches us: First, how to forgive. Peter tried to offer the Jewish standard of forgiveness. Jews typically forgave up to three times. Peter thought he was being more spiritual by suggesting seven times. But Jesus set the standard at seventy times seven—meaning without limit. There is no justified reason not to forgive others.
Second, our standard of forgiveness must be like the Lord’s. Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:13 state that we must forgive all faults, leaving none behind. Do not keep bringing up someone’s past mistakes, for that is a sign of lingering resentment and a desire to punish. To forgive means no longer storing the offense in the heart and not savoring the bitterness. Forgive thoroughly, especially those close to us, such as spouses.
Do not harbor vengeance, because vengeance torments oneself. Accept their shortcomings like a thorn in the flesh, as Paul experienced, when he said God’s power is made perfect in weakness. This attitude brings a calm, free heart. If the Lord allows discomfort in life, give thanks, because comfort often makes us forget the life to come. Things beyond our strength should be left to God. We must enlarge the capacity of our souls as the Father desires. All this is God’s way of maturing us, and there we experience His mercy.
After spouses, those who often wound us are people we respect. Wounds from those we honor are often deeper. Yet through that bitterness, God teaches us to look inward. He trains us to become resilient people. When treated unjustly or hurt, we must forgive. Regarding every painful event as a means of God’s grace, because through all that He is maturing us. In eternity, we will understand how beautiful that refining process is.
If receiving mercy from a powerful official is already a great benefit to our physical life, how much more to receive mercy from the Lord of Hosts, who has all power and glory. But this requires the courage to believe and to act in accordance with God’s Word in Matthew 5:7, so that we truly receive that mercy. The merciful person is willing to forgive offenders. If gentleness means being willing to be treated unjustly, mercy means being willing to forgive. We do this not merely out of duty, but because we cannot help forgiving. Not just to do, but to be. Our longing is to forgive as delight, not as a burdensome command.