It sounds backwards at first, but it’s impossible to hold onto a grudge when your hands are full of something else.
A Shift in Perspective: Gratitude Over Bragging
he title might sound bold — even boastful — but it’s not about bragging. It’s about perspective.
“I’ve been given much” isn’t a declaration of status. It’s a confession of grace.
If you’ve visited my About Emilie page, you already know my heart is to help you slow down and notice those quiet God‑incidences woven into your own story.
So, I hope this becomes an invitation to reflect on this as you read this article—I hope it speaks to our hearts.
The reality is that we are recipients of immense grace—far more than we'd ever care to acknowledge. It’s the disconnect that happens, or where it occurs when it’s our turn to pass it on. I charge this to our fallen nature.
The problem is that we often believe we should have been given more—perhaps as much as others, if not more. We frequently measure our blessings against what others have received.
The gratitude we once carried quietly diminishes as we become more aware of what others seem to possess.
What often follows is a questioning of our place in God’s attention. This downhill shift in our perspective is dangerous, as it's the exact soil where jealousy and envy take root.
If we’re not careful, this is where the enemy of the soul strikes—often!
Yes, jealousy and envy have impact in our state of mind, but are not the focus here. This article looks at another angle which is on forgiving others.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18)
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35):
A Debt Beyond Measure
Then Peter approaching asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
The Chokehold of Unforgiveness
Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’
Moved with compassion, the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’
The Father's Heart Revealed
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”
Fallen Nature vs. Daily Grace
What do you make of it? It’s pretty straight to the point, right? No other interpretations can be drawn. This leads me to write this article.
Isn’t it ironic how often we have condemned others for being unforgiving, yet we remain blind to the ways we do the exact same thing?
How many times have we heard someone complain about others being unforgiving, while being just as guilty of it themselves?
An a-ha moment?
Hardened Hearts?
I charge that to our fallen nature. It’s easy to forgive minor offenses. The major ones really come on God’s appointed time, moreover; when extended time is required before healing and forgiveness can even come.
And I am not going to touch deeper into this, but will stick to the topic on forgiving in general.
The Risk of Waiting for "Our Terms"
True, we inhabit a fallen world. However, fallen as it is, it isn’t short of God’s grace.
Jesus is our shepherd, and as a caring shepherd that He is, the grace and mercy of God are renewed each day. That’s by the generosity of God knowing we’d need it on a constant basis.
I know it’s a bit of a slippery slope when our perspective shifts away from gratitude. The gratitude for what we’ve been given, and we’ve been given much.
When we lose sight of what we’ve been given, it becomes harder to extend grace. Gratitude softens the heart; entitlement hardens it. That’s where forgiveness begins — in remembering.
It is equally risky when we do it on our terms.
Yes, it is our free will that gets in the way. We take matters as if we hold time in our hands, when we are just here on borrowed time.
It’s risky to keep walking the path of delay — unsure when or if we’ll extend the grace we’ve already received.
The danger to this is we don’t know for how long we’d live, or that person would continue to live to receive our forgiveness that we keep delaying to extend.
We forget that the present time is all that’s guaranteed. Holding onto a grudge is a luxury we literally cannot afford.
It’s a bit of a "lightbulb moment," isn't it?
The Danger of a Frozen Heart
If we aren't careful, the enemy uses this shift in perspective to turn our hearts into a frozen landscape, where we forget that we are just as much in need of pity as the person we are refusing to forgive.
In keeping with this thought, this is a challenge worth-remembering—to extend that same grace to others—to let God act on our behalf. Total surrender that is!
As I type this, I know I’m ministering to myself, too. I’m reminded of the teaching on sharing what we’ve received, such as that mentioned in the parable.
Our struggle lies in our hesitation to extend those blessings to others. In writing this, I am also speaking to my own heart.
Aligning Our Hearts with the King’s Perspective
As the title suggests, "I've Been Given Much,” goes to say that when we are suffering from the unjust unforgiving of others—those who refuse dialogue and hold onto assumptions—this title acts as our anchor.
That said, even if they withhold their grace from you, you are declaring that God has not. Focusing on what has been poured into us is all that matters.
Doesn't this thinking mirror the Master, not the servant as pictured in the parable, recalling that in the parable, the King was the one who knew he had much, and therefore he could let go?
Stay soft-hearted even when they are being treated unfairly.
By claiming "I've been given much," we, not just me, are aligning our heart with the King's perspective rather than the "small-amount"mindset of those who are hardening their hearts against us.
The beauty in it is that once we realize we have been given "much"— we can eventually look at those with hardened hearts with pity, because they are clearly living in a place of perceived "lack."
"I’ve Been Given Much"
It is a simple phrase, but carries a lot of blessings, yet it is a difficult one to hold onto when the air around grows cold. Such are times when I find myself on the receiving end of silence.
When others assume a debt against and refuse to speak, the temptation is to grow cold in return. But if I have truly 'been given much' by the Master, then my peace cannot be taken away by a fellow servant’s refusal to dialogue.
I’ve been given much. So I will forgive much. And I will live like someone who knows it.
Amen to that!
Stay mindful of how we see others, so we don't lose sight of the mercy and generosity we've been shown all along.
Thank you for being part of this journey. And remember, wherever you are in the world reading this, we are in this journey together.
If the stories shared speaks to your heart, I’d love to connect with you more personally. on Facebook.
I also invite you to subscribe free to receive blog updates. No spam, no sales pitches—just thoughtful updates from time to time.
Many Blessings, Emilie
A Note from my Heart
I’m Emilie, a seeker of faith who finds God in the quiet pews and the divine surprises of everyday life. I write these reflections to invite you into a slower, more soulful way of seeing the world.