How do you forgive?

Question: How do you forgive, and keep on forgiving?

Response: Recognize that God constantly forgives. He does not retaliate in an effort to receive restitution. All that he does is love. HOWEVER, forgiveness is not the same thing as excusing or toleration. God disciplines the one he loves. And forgiveness is the energy behind that discipline. Every parent knows this. You forgive your two year old for biting you, but if you love them, you’ll teach them to stop biting. You forgive an alcoholic, but you still throw away his liquor. An abuse victim must forgive his/her abuser, but at the same time call the police. God constantly forgives, and always disciplines the one he loves. Even Hades/Sheol is discipline. Gehenna is discipline. It’s all Chesed (covenant love). Chesed is burning mercy; He is forgiveness. In the light of his forgiveness, my ego – the thing that causes me to sin – is destroyed. Check out Psalm 130:3-4: “Love keeps no record of wrongs.” Our entire ego/pride is a record of wrongs and “rights” (which are wrongs, for love keeps no record of wrongs). The forgiveness of God destroys the certificate of debt that we think we are.