What Does It Mean to Forgive Someone?

So the other day I was having one of those insightful one-on-one conversations with my 7-year old about life. He was telling me about a story he read in his children's bible on forgiveness. Then I asked him "Do you know what it means to forgive someone?".  The question sounded basic enough.  But after asking him, i started wondering how a 7-year old would explain the concept of forgiveness. I was thinking he will probably say 'washing away of our sins' or something in those lines. But Troy's answer surprised me. He said:

"Forgiveness means you are giving the person another chance" 

 

That made me think. Troy is right. Forgiveness is really about second chances. Sometimes we wonder how many chances we get with the Lord when we keep on making the same wrong decisions in life. Will i get another chance? Well, here's the good news.

Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he [forgave] removed our transgressions from us"

 

From the east to the west. That's the largest measure we can ever fathom on earth. That's how great God's forgiveness is upon us. And following Troy's thought, we can confidently say that He is not only a God of second chances.  He gives us multiple chances to repent and do right by Him. Not to say we can abuse this allowance, and am sure people who genuinely love the Lord will never do that, but accept the grace and mercy that God has freely given to us.  And in the same way, we can also extend the same grace to others. 

Think about it. Pay it forward. Who needs another chance from you today?