"If your brother has sinned against you, rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day and each time he comes to you and says, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him." (Luke 17:3-4)
Jesus has given us 5 patterns to forgive sinners.
What wrongs or sins are committed against us that Jesus tells us to respond to? Although there is no detailed description of sin in this regard, but the Bible says sin can be defined as any failure to love. We need to identify the mistakes or sins that they or we do. This will help us to act correctly and not turn a blind eye or belittle the act.
For those of us who are hurt, we have a duty to act, which is to reprimand them. When we rebuke, we need to ask "what does the love of Jesus demand?" Our rebuke should be based on biblical principles and divine love. This is for their good and not to destroy them. We rebuke their faults respectfully, carefully and appropriately for the purpose of correcting, teaching, and convicting. Even if there is a bad scenario that may happen as a result of our rebuke, the right thing demanded by the love of Jesus still needs to be continued. In addition, Jesus' love also demands that we be ready to forgive each other (1 Peter 4:8).
People who sin against us must realize and admit their failure to love. Likewise with us, we should repent and try to make peace because forgiveness needs to be accompanied by repentance. When we experience this, we pray and hope that they will truly admit their fault, make no excuses, and humbly ask for mercy, and bear the consequences. This is not our desire but the desire of God's heart to see his children truly repent. In worship, sometimes holy communion is not given to unrepentant people.
Forgiveness of others will remove the barriers to love, be honest, and be strong in relationships. It also removes excuses for avoidance, distancing, and coldness.
Forgiveness means "I no longer hold a grudge against you."
But forgiveness does not mean that we do not care about the consequences of sins that have been forgiven. When God forgives us, He does not abolish the law of nature regarding "sowing and reaping" (Galatians 6). He forgives us to offer a relationship, rid of our guilt and shame.
Recovery can be done through repentance and forgiveness.
Restoration in human relationships makes us experience joy as experienced by God when we come to Him with repentance and confession of sin. We who were once far from God and living contrary to Him, have been brought near to enjoy a restored relationship. So is our relationship with others, when the recovery takes place, we will feel a wonderful freedom. The recovery phase may not be as easy as we think, but let's try to restore the broken relationship with the love of Jesus.
May the God of peace who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, the glorious Shepherd, through the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in you what pleases him, through Jesus Christ, for- To him be the glory forever. Amen (Hebrews 13: 20 - 21). When it comes to forgiving, we have to sacrifice our feelings of hurt and anger but with the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus will equip us to release the necessary forgiveness.