Forgiveness: Letting Go of Anger Like Jesus

Hey everyone. Welcome back to Carpooling with Jesus. I'm Pastor Justin. And today we're talking about something super important, forgiveness. Imagine if Jesus were sitting in the car with us right now on the way to school. What do you think he would say about forgiveness? Let's find out. One day, Peter, one of Jesus's friends, asked Jesus a big question. He wanted to know how many times he should forgive someone who hurt him. Peter asked, Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times? But Jesus replied, I tell you not just seven times, but 77 times. This is in Matthew 18, verses 21 and 22. This means Jesus was saying, don't keep track of how many times you forgive. Forgive every time. Forgiveness isn't about counting. It's about showing love and understanding, just like Jesus forgives us over and over. Think about this. Maybe you just had a tough moment with someone, like a friend or a sibling or a parent. And now you're getting into the car. Jesus might say, forgiveness is not always easy, but it's so worth it. Maybe someone hurt your feelings or broke something that's important to you. Maybe they made a joke that you didn't think was funny. That happens to me all the time and it makes me sad, even angry sometimes. But holding onto that anger feels heavy. At least it feels heavy for me. It's like carrying a big, heavy backpack all day long, full of rocks. Do you know what I found? I found that it wasn't worth it. Because when you forgive, it's like taking that backpack full of rocks off, feeling lighter, joyful, and you can focus on things that really matter. How can we practice forgiveness today? First, we can let go of our anger. If we're angry, Jesus might say it's okay to be upset, but don't hold on to that feeling. Ask me to help you let it go. Talk it out. If someone hurt your feelings, go talk to them. Tell them what they did hurt you. And listen to their side. There might be a chance for peace. Choose to forgive. Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting, but it means saying, I won't let this keep us from being friends. Jesus might remind you, I forgive you every day. So like that example, forgive others too. Lastly, show kindness, maybe even be the first one to show kindness. After you forgive, be kind to them, talk to them, and be their friend. Here's a story to think about. Let's say your friend accidentally knocks over your project. It falls to the ground and it breaks. You worked really hard on it, so you're upset. But Jesus might say, it's okay to feel upset, but remember, mistakes happen. Forgiving your friend shows them that your friendship is more important than the project or a mistake. Forgiving like Jesus doesn't mean pretending nothing happened. It's about choosing forgiveness instead of anger and letting go of what keeps us from feeling peaceful. Remember, Jesus forgives us no matter how many times we mess up. And he will help you forgive others too, even when it's hard. Thanks for taking a ride with me today on Carpooling with Jesus. Parents, if you love this podcast, share it with your parent friends so they can have faith-filled moments too. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Here's today's question to talk about before you get out of the car. Can you think of a time when someone forgave you? How did it make you feel? See you tomorrow.