Seventy Times Seven the Transforming Power of Forgiveness

Robin E. Clifton

Description

Thought-provoking and insightful, this exploration and Bible study examines the transformation that forgiveness can bring into your life.

The hard spiritual work of forgiveness is the conduit to a life-changing transformation into the character of Jesus Christ, for we are never closer to the likeness of Christ than when we forgive one that has sinned against us.



Seventy Times Seven: The Transforming Power of Forgiveness seeks to help you understand that forgiveness is an often-lengthy process of letting go—releasing the offender to God—with the end result being you are no longer living life in the shadow of the offense. It presents a clear understanding of what forgiveness is and is not, as well as biblical and scientific evidence of the effects of unforgiveness on one’s life. Along the way, author Robin E. Clifton blends her spiritual and scientific backgrounds with her life experiences to present an authentic, engaging, and enlightening discussion of forgiveness and the remarkable transformation it can bring. You can learn to trust God wholeheartedly and use what He provides to guide you through your life, both giving and receiving forgiveness.



Thought-provoking and insightful, this exploration and Bible study examines the transformation that forgiveness can bring into your life

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Living
• Bibliographies
• Personal Growth
• Philosophie et théologie
• Jesús de Nazaret
• Jesus
• Synoptic Gospels
• Bibliography
• Sermon on the Mount
• New Testament
• Ethics
• Commentary
• Jésus de Nazareth
• Bible

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 25 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664277557
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Seventy times Seven THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF FORGIVENESS
 
 
 
ROBIN E. CLIFTON
 
 
 

 
Copyright © 2022 Robin E. Clifton.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7756-4 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7757-1 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7755-7 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022916713
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 10/24/2022
 
 
Ten percent of the profits from the sale of this book will go to Sacred Selections, a non-profit helping in the adoption of souls in need of Godly families.
 

 
Dedica tion
To my precious gr ands
Avery, Landry, Jones, Lincoln, Allie, Van, Solo, and my future grandbabies— being your Nana is such a joy! I pray you will grow to love and serve our Savior and allow the powerful Word of God to be your guide in life. I pray you will welcome God’s refining power in your lives and be transformed little by little into the likeness of Jesus. Remember I love you “so much.”
And to my Heavenly Fa ther
Thank you for the life story you have given me. Thank you for not letting the cup pass, for your steadfast love and patience as you taught me how to love and forgive, and for surprise end ings.

Contents
Introduction
Part 1: THE PILGRIMAGE TO FORGIVENESS
Chapter 1Now I Live Different
Forgiveness of others is the conduit to spiritual growth
Chapter 2The Elephant in the Room
The gospel is never good news until we see the bad news of our sin
Chapter 3Giving What We Get
Applying the ‘Golden Rule’ to forgiveness
Chapter 4The Science of Unforgiveness
Scientific and medical data on the effects of unforgiveness
Chapter 5Teach Me Your Way, O Lord
Learning how to forgive from the One who forgave you
Chapter 6Sweet Release
The simple yet challenging truth of what forgiveness is and is not
Chapter 7Waiting for Words that Never Come
The question that hinders forgiveness
Chapter 8The Myth of Self Forgiveness
Learning to let go of the past and accept God’s g race
Chapter 9Like Water off a Duck
Developing a life attitude of forgiveness
Part 2: LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH!
Chapter 10Not By My Might
Engaging the gift Jesus left for us to help us forgive
Chapter 11Renewing Your Mind
The Biblical principles and scientific data of a 70 x 7 faith mindset
Chapter 12A Faith to Run with Horses
Becoming equipped to live victoriously in your life story
Conclusion   A 70 x 7 Faith
Moving your Mountains
Endnotes
Acknowledgements

Introduction
“The simple truth is, we all make mistakes; we all need to be forgiven and to forgive.”
~Adapted from Desmond Tutu
“Excuse me, do you have time to answer a few questions?” I turned and looked in the direction the request had come from, expecting to see a pollster or marketer. She was neither. I saw the look of a wounded animal in her eyes, full of desperation and urgency. I had just given a talk on forgiveness at a Christian college and was walking to another lecture hall when this young woman approached, wondering if she could have some time with me. I asked her to walk with me as we talked. It quickly became apparent she needed my full attention. As we sat on a campus bench, she poured out her dilemma of forgiveness. The short of her tangled and complicated story is that though she had been a life-long active member of a church, she was living a woeful, defeated life. Her struggle to feel forgiven and, in turn, to forgive held her captive, sentencing her to carry a heavy burden through life, the burden of unforgiveness. As I listened, I kept thinking she was missing the rest of the gospel story of forgiveness.

The need for forgiveness is universal; it is not a gender, race, or socioeconomic issue but one belonging to all humanity. No one is immune to sin; whether intentional or not, we make mistakes that lead to sin. We hurt one another and grieve God in the process. Yet, sin (ones we commit or ones inflicted upon us) does not have to be the defining storyline of one’s life; quite the opposite — something quite extraordinary can arise. Recognition of sin can be the catalyst for growth and change. To admit wrongdoing, feel remorse, and ask for forgiveness can be difficult. But the real challenge in forgiveness lies in what Jesus said we must do, forgive as we have been forgiven.
Unforgiveness is a sneaky beast; it weaves banefully through all areas of life, particularly the relationships we develop with one another. Like tendrils of morning glory that grow prolifically where not wanted, unforgiveness will begin to wrap around our hearts, stifling our well-being. Sometimes the offense is so heinous it may seem impossible to forgive, or it may be so regular that we do not recognize it for what it is. If we don’t acknowledge our need to be forgiven and to forgive, those tendrils become angst within that we just can’t seem to grow through. Unforgiveness will begin to direct the course of our life and inhibit the peace and well-being of our souls that God desires for us.
It is in this challenging work of forgiving that the whole of the gospel story comes to fruition in one’s life, for it requires faith and trust far beyond our ability. The apostles learned this when Peter asked Jesus how many times one must forgive another for the same offense and wondered if perhaps seven was enough. (Matthew 18: 21–22) Jesus’ answer of not just seven but 70 x 7 blew their 1 st century minds as equally as it does ours today! They replied to Jesus, “Lord, increase our faith!” They knew it was not in their ability to do such an impossible thing. Jesus’ reply was not about a number; He was challenging them to grow to depend entirely on Him, not their abilities. That challenge, the call to lose ourselves and depend upon Christ to help us forgive others, results in a faith that changes us. Forgiveness is the conduit through which the transformed life begins to unfold.
I am neither a scholar with a PhD in biblical studies nor a psychologist with expertise in forgiveness and relationship issues. My credentials are life experience. I am a soul who wrestled for years with forgiving another and, in the process, learned much more about forgiveness than I ever imagined. I am also a tenacious researcher; it’s my scientific brain nature. For years as I prayed earnestly to get past the demon of unforgiveness, I dug into forgiveness from both a biblical and scientific perspective. My journey to learn how to forgive was a long hard one. I made many mistakes along the way, and I allowed the effects of unforgiveness to seep into my marriage, parenting, and everyday relations. But by the grace of God, I overcame.
The Gift of the Co coon
Something interesting happened as I kept asking for help in my forgiveness journey. I was a seasoned “do it my selfer” in life, which carried over into this struggle to forgive. The church I attended was heavy on an issues-driven, checklist type of Christianity focused on what one did that made them “worthy”. However, after internal conflict, it slowly began to emerge as a church that preached the whole of the Gospel. A new emphasis began to emerge, not about being converted to church, with a list of do’s and don’ts, but of being converted to Jesus Christ and becoming more like Him.
This slow change in our congregation shaped how I looked at my endeavor to forgive. I began to see this challenge, this seemingly impossible task to forgive, as a gift. This gift was drawing me closer to God. I had always been relatively faithful at personal Bible study, but honestly, it was more about what the stories could do for me rather than seeking to know God. The more I desired to know my Creator and His story, a shift occurred in who I depended on in life. Having a deeper understanding of God— His nature, power, and love— opened up a level of trust I hadn’t experienced before. I let go of any notion that it was all on my shoulders to love and forgive and surrendered it all to Him. I had to admit, “This is impossible Lord; only you can increase my faith, only you can help me forgive.” I got me out of the 70 x 7 forgiveness equation and put God and His Spirit in it. I’d love to say forgiveness was instantaneous after that, but it wasn’t. It was still a process, but I wasn’t in it alone. Now, I could call upon the Hol