Lumapit si Pedro at nagtanong kay Jesus, “Panginoon, ilang beses ko po bang patatawarin ang kapatid kong paulit-ulit na nagkakasala sa akin? Pitong beses po ba?” Sinagot siya ni Jesus, “Hindi ko sinasabing pitong beses, kundi pitumpung ulit na pito.”

Mateo 18:21–22

How many times should you forgive a person?

Para sa marami, once is enough. Kapag umulit ka pa, cancelled ka na. Akala nila, ang hindi pagpapatawad ang magbibigay sa kanila ng kalayaan para makalimot at makapag-move on. But is that really true?

Unforgiveness does not offer freedom but it guarantees that you will be in a prison of your own making. Kapag naaalala mo ’yung naging away ninyo, umiinit ang ulo mo. Kapag nakita mo siya sa social media, sumisikip ang dibdib mo. This is the real weight of unforgiveness.  

This is why Jesus answered Peter in this way. When Peter asked Him kung ilang beses ba dapat patawarin ang isang tao, Jesus gave an almost impossible answer. Sa pagsabi ni Jesus na you must forgive a person 70 × 7 times, he does not mean that we must count the offenses until 490. He simply means that we should not keep count and keep on forgiving!

But is this even possible?

Hindi, kung aasa lang tayo sa ating sariling kakayanan, but with God, it is possible! Ito ang klase ng forgiveness na ipinagkaloob ni Jesus sa atin by dying on the cross. He paid once and for all of our sins! And even when we do sin, by putting our faith in His finished work, we receive forgiveness. At ito ’yung same grace that we receive from God that God expects us to give to others.

Pero paano kung bumabalik pa rin ‘yung sakit? Paano kung sa tuwing naaalala mo, parang sariwa na naman ang sugat? Hindi ibig sabihin nito ay hindi ka pa tunay na nagpapatawad. Forgiveness is a decision, but healing is a process. Sa bawat pag-alala, may panibagong pagkakataong mag-release ng kapatawaran. Consider it an opportunity to deepen your relationship and dependence to God. He is the only one who can set you free from the pain of offense.