Do you know what a litany is? A litany, in Catholicism is a form of worship or prayer used in services or processions. It’s generally memorized. It’s something you say over and over in worship. We use that word figuratively to speak of anything we recite again and again.

I remember a woman I knew some time ago who had experienced a great deal of pain. Each time I spoke to her she would tell me the same stories over and over: My daughter’s done this to me. My mother did this to me. My son’s done this to me. The church has done this to me.

One time I was remarking to an elder how this poor woman had such a keen memory for past hurts. He said, “Pastor Steve – she remembers those hurts because they have become a sort of litany. A litany of woes. She recites them to herself and to anyone who will listen.”

That’s what Peter is taking about in Matthew 18 – memorizing many hurts a person gives us.

Matthew 18:21(NIV) Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Peter is saying:

“OK Jesus, I get it – I am supposed to go and tell my brother to his face if I have issues with him. And if he hears me, good – we’re all good here. But what if he does it again? How many times do I have to put up with this?”

We say the same kinds of things that Peter was saying. And when we feel like Peter must have felt — if we live that way — we find ourselves in a prison of “unforgiveness.”

In this podcast, we examine some of the keys to getting out of the prison of unforgiveness. This message is a little longer than usual as it we presented on a Sunday evening.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download