synopsis: “5 Minutes with Jesus” is a daily devotional series for people in the midst of real life, whether facing anxiety, grief, questions of purpose, or simply needing encouragement and connection. Hosted by Sheila Walsh, each five-minute episode offers Biblical truth, honest reflections on faith and emotions, and closes with a moment of prayer.
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| Sheila Walsh: The Power of Forgiveness | 5 Minutes with Jesus | September 30, 2025
- How do you forgive a spouse who cheats on you?
- 00:00:00.023 --> 00:00:03.226
- How do you forgive someone who slanders your name?
- 00:00:03.226 --> 00:00:06.930
- How do you forgive the drunk driver
- 00:00:06.930 --> 00:00:08.965
- Who takes the life of your child?
- 00:00:08.965 --> 00:00:11.601
- How do you forgive someone who's not sorry?
- 00:00:11.601 --> 00:00:14.637
- Forgiveness is a deeply spiritual issue,
- 00:00:14.637 --> 00:00:17.740
- So i don't think we'll ever fully understand
- 00:00:17.740 --> 00:00:19.843
- This side of heaven.
- 00:00:19.843 --> 00:00:21.077
- However, forgiveness is not a matter of what makes sense.
- 00:00:21.077 --> 00:00:25.682
- It's a matter of obedience.
- 00:00:25.682 --> 00:00:31.254
- Peter came to jesus and asked, lord, how many times
- 00:00:32.322 --> 00:00:35.391
- Shall i forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?
- 00:00:35.391 --> 00:00:38.828
- Up to seven times.
- 00:00:38.828 --> 00:00:40.730
- Jesus answered, i tell you, not seven times, but 77 times.
- 00:00:40.730 --> 00:00:46.002
- You'll find that matthew chapter 18.
- 00:00:46.002 --> 00:00:48.371
- Peter was expecting to be congratulated that day.
- 00:00:48.371 --> 00:00:51.674
- You see, rabbis taught from several passages
- 00:00:51.674 --> 00:00:53.977
- In the old testament that you must forgive sin three times.
- 00:00:53.977 --> 00:00:57.747
- But on the fourth time,
- 00:00:57.747 --> 00:00:59.282
- If someone
- 00:00:59.282 --> 00:01:00.550
- Continues to sin against you, you are not called to forgive.
- 00:01:00.550 --> 00:01:03.620
- So for peter, suggesting seven times was a big deal.
- 00:01:03.620 --> 00:01:08.091
- But then jesus changed everything.
- 00:01:08.091 --> 00:01:11.261
- Some translations have that first saying 70 times seven.
- 00:01:11.261 --> 00:01:15.064
- But jesus wasn't saying that.
- 00:01:15.698 --> 00:01:17.567
- We count off 490 times and then we're done.
- 00:01:17.567 --> 00:01:21.638
- But rather we keep on forgiving.
- 00:01:21.638 --> 00:01:24.174
- We're called to make forgiveness the habit of a lifetime.
- 00:01:24.174 --> 00:01:28.945
- Forgiveness
- 00:01:29.279 --> 00:01:30.480
- Can be so powerful and yet so hard.
- 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:33.917
- Not so long ago, i was flying from dallas to san antonio.
- 00:01:33.917 --> 00:01:37.754
- It's such a short flight.
- 00:01:37.754 --> 00:01:39.022
- By the time you have your diet coke in hand,
- 00:01:39.022 --> 00:01:40.757
- It's time to give it back.
- 00:01:40.757 --> 00:01:42.358
- And that evening, i would be speaking to a group of women
- 00:01:42.358 --> 00:01:45.161
- About moving from rage to restoration.
- 00:01:45.161 --> 00:01:47.931
- That's what they'd asked for.
- 00:01:47.931 --> 00:01:49.199
- And the life changing power of forgiveness.
- 00:01:49.199 --> 00:01:51.701
- That's a lot to cover in a 45 minute message.
- 00:01:51.701 --> 00:01:54.571
- But the more i thought and prayed
- 00:01:54.571 --> 00:01:55.805
- About what to say, the clearer it became, which
- 00:01:55.805 --> 00:01:58.841
- Explained the weight of my one checked bag.
- 00:01:58.841 --> 00:02:02.078
- You check in any bags.
- 00:02:02.579 --> 00:02:03.813
- The man at the ticket counter asked.
- 00:02:03.813 --> 00:02:05.582
- Just want, i said this backpack.
- 00:02:05.582 --> 00:02:07.917
- He put on the appropriate
- 00:02:07.917 --> 00:02:09.385
- Luggage tag and then bent over to pick it up
- 00:02:09.385 --> 00:02:11.654
- And move on to the conveyor belt.
- 00:02:11.654 --> 00:02:13.523
- That would take it down to the baggage handlers.
- 00:02:13.523 --> 00:02:15.858
- Well, the weight of the bag caught him off guard.
- 00:02:15.858 --> 00:02:18.127
- What do you have in here? rocks?
- 00:02:18.127 --> 00:02:20.263
- As a matter of fact, yes, i replied, like
- 00:02:20.263 --> 00:02:23.866
- He looked at me for a moment
- 00:02:23.866 --> 00:02:25.001
- And then decided i was one of those women
- 00:02:25.001 --> 00:02:26.736
- With whom you should keep conversations to a minimum.
- 00:02:26.736 --> 00:02:29.505
- The reality is the reason it was heavy.
- 00:02:30.373 --> 00:02:32.542
- I had 610 small river rocks tucked into my bag.
- 00:02:32.542 --> 00:02:37.513
- A visual aid for the evening's message on forgiveness.
- 00:02:37.513 --> 00:02:41.217
- Forgiveness can be one of the hardest things to do.
- 00:02:41.217 --> 00:02:44.320
- Like, how do you forgive a spouse who cheats on you?
- 00:02:44.320 --> 00:02:48.491
- How do you forgive someone who slanders your name?
- 00:02:48.491 --> 00:02:52.195
- How do you forgive the drunk driver
- 00:02:52.195 --> 00:02:54.230
- Who takes the life of your child?
- 00:02:54.230 --> 00:02:56.866
- How do you forgive someone who's not sorry?
- 00:02:56.866 --> 00:02:59.902
- Forgiveness is a deeply spiritual issue,
- 00:02:59.902 --> 00:03:03.006
- So i don't think we'll ever fully understand
- 00:03:03.006 --> 00:03:05.108
- This side of heaven.
- 00:03:05.108 --> 00:03:06.342
- However, forgiveness is not a matter of what makes sense.
- 00:03:06.342 --> 00:03:10.947
- It's a matter of obedience.
- 00:03:10.947 --> 00:03:13.416
- I carry
- 00:03:13.416 --> 00:03:15.251
- A small stone with me everywhere i go.
- 00:03:15.251 --> 00:03:17.920
- I've carried for years,
- 00:03:17.920 --> 00:03:19.422
- Ever since god literally brought me to my knees on a walk
- 00:03:19.422 --> 00:03:23.226
- One day over my reluctance to forgive someone
- 00:03:23.226 --> 00:03:26.229
- Who had devastated my life.
- 00:03:26.229 --> 00:03:28.598
- When i finally surrender to his command, i forgive that person.
- 00:03:28.598 --> 00:03:33.436
- I realized that i was actually kneeling on the stone
- 00:03:33.436 --> 00:03:36.939
- Cutting into my knee. so i picked it up.
- 00:03:36.939 --> 00:03:39.442
- I carry the stone with me to remind me of jesus words.
- 00:03:40.543 --> 00:03:43.846
- Let any one of you
- 00:03:43.846 --> 00:03:45.114
- Who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.
- 00:03:45.114 --> 00:03:48.985
- Life is not fair. we know that.
- 00:03:48.985 --> 00:03:51.888
- But god's forgiveness is a gift to us
- 00:03:51.888 --> 00:03:54.991
- To live in a world that is not fair.
- 00:03:54.991 --> 00:03:57.794
- With the holy spirit's help.
- 00:03:57.794 --> 00:03:59.629
- We can pledge
- 00:03:59.629 --> 00:04:00.897
- To live a life of forgiveness because we have been forgiven.
- 00:04:00.897 --> 00:04:05.034
- Perhaps you might want to find a stone and carry it with you
- 00:04:05.034 --> 00:04:08.004
- To remind you of your promise and commitment.
- 00:04:08.004 --> 00:04:11.341
- Scripture says if you forgive those who sin against you,
- 00:04:11.341 --> 00:04:14.977
- Your heavenly father will forgive you.
- 00:04:14.977 --> 00:04:17.947
- But if you refuse to forgive others,
- 00:04:17.947 --> 00:04:20.616
- Your father will not forgive your sins.
- 00:04:20.616 --> 00:04:22.819
- As matthew chapter six, let me pray for you.
- 00:04:22.819 --> 00:04:25.388
- Father, i want to thank you for the gift of forgiveness.
- 00:04:26.489 --> 00:04:29.592
- Thank you that even though we live
- 00:04:29.592 --> 00:04:30.827
- In a world where terrible things happen,
- 00:04:30.827 --> 00:04:33.096
- You have given us the ability, by your grace, to forgive
- 00:04:33.096 --> 00:04:36.899
- And to leave the outcome to you
- 00:04:36.899 --> 00:04:39.469
- And lord, as we carry our little stones.
- 00:04:39.469 --> 00:04:41.771
- Help us to remember how much we have been
- 00:04:41.771 --> 00:04:44.440
- Forgiven us in jesus name. amen.
- 00:04:44.440 --> 00:04:44.440
