Monday, August 17, 2026

How Many Times Should I Forgive?

Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" "No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven! Matthew 18:21-22 

Meditate. Consider God’s forgiveness and your forgiveness of others.


7 X 7... 70 X 7 = 490 

Did you have trouble with memorizing times tables as a fourth grader in school? I was never good at memorizing anything…spelling words, times tables, or scripture! But somehow, I learned those times tables and I can still quickly multiply and divide using those tables mentally. Seventy times seven?! That was not on the list… but you can figure it out. Just add a zero to the seven times seven, so that 49 becomes 490 times. I think Jesus really meant that forgiveness should be offered an infinite number of times. Are you going to keep track of 490 and then stop? I don’t think so. I certainly won’t.

 

Prayer – Lord Jesus, I know that I’ve repented lots of times…and You have forgiven me. Has it been 490 times? Who’s keeping score? Thank You for always forgiving me. Most of all, Thank You for going to the cross for my sins, and to You and Our Father who have welcomed me into Your family. It is wonderful to be part of God’s Family—to feel the presence of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:24-25

 

© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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