How Do I Forgive People I Hate?

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Sin, Faith, Duty

17:3-6  “If your brother or sister[a] sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
This is an instance where it is important to interpret a bible passage in its context within the overall teaching in a given chapter.  Most people take the verse, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea and it will obey you", and separate from Jesus' teaching on forgiveness.  Jesus is teaching the disciples to forgive their brother or sister no matter how many times they sin against them.  Jesus is using hyperbole when he says, "If they sin against you seven times in a day and come back saying they will repent, you must forgive them."  
What is Jesus saying?  Obviously if they sinned against us seven times in a day, it might cause us to doubt their sincerity.  After all, should we just keep letting someone sin over and over against us. But again Jesus is not saying this, he is teaching them that forgiveness is not possible without God's help, especially in trying situations.  This is why Jesus says, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can uproot trees and throw them into the sea."  Again he is not being literal.  He is saying if you have faith you can do something you never thought you could do.  
Forgiveness of one's enemies is one of the hardest things we are commanded by Jesus to do.  It is a deep work done in our heart, especially if we have been hurt badly.  We will certainly not "feel" like doing it, and we might possibly have developed hatred or at least deep resentment toward this person.  I talked to a woman today whose daughter was murdered by her husband.  Can you imagine she eventually was able to forgive this person?  I couldn't!  But with the faith the size the mustard seed we can do things we never thought possible.  
If you have someone you can't forgive in your own power, ask Jesus to give you the faith the size of a mustard seed.  You may not be able to throw a mulberry tree into the sea but you will sure have a burden lifted from you.  


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