Moving Forward 101 (?..)

Every man and every woman is fallible in some way, and this will be expressed every single day of our lives...so no wonder God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, would set the model for forgiveness!--so that we can move on with our lives, without hating ourselves or hating other people. We are imperfect beings. Even the redeemed are still very much human.

I don't think forgiveness should ever be withheld by the follower of Christ, as he can rightfully call upon the Lord's strength and love to aid him. I also don't think it's wrong for the contrite heart to anticipate and even expect forgiveness, at least from other believers.

I don't suppose either of those situations have been severely tested in my life, so one might say I "just don't understand." Maybe not...but I still can't deny that God's is an understanding so much greater than my own, and yet Christ still commanded this of us. That's got to mean something.

All of that is "obvious" of course--but in that sneaky little way of being "obvious" to know, yet not so obvious to do.

It really doesn't always seem that simple, does it--not when you get into the dark and painful corners of someone's life. I've got a question for the more biblically well-versed: if someone sincerely pleas for forgiveness, we probably dare not refuse. But what if someone not only doesn't ask, but doesn't admit to the crime to begin with? Or isn't sincere? The king pardoned his indebted servant, until he found out that the servant's repentance was pretty shallow--and then the king revoked the pardon.

We're to forgive our brother "seventy-seven" times...but do we consider the circumstances? (That's not a leading question; that's a "Melinda really doesn't know" question.) I mean, people have met the murderer of a loved one...and forgave. People have been betrayed and cheated by dear friends, and even without an apology, forgave. People have been deeply hurt, and yet God must have given them what it took to forgive, because it's happened.

Maybe we're simply always "supposed" to forgive because it's "the right thing to do." But even if that's not it...isn't it self-destructive not to do it? It's so strange that one can continue to be held in bondage by something that would seem to be within the scope of one's own (Spirit-influenced) choice.

I know whole books have been written on this...but answers on here would still really be great..