When you try to patch things up with someone you’ve been fighting with, have you ever found that the discussion inevitably ends in a fight?

Well, I have, lol. I’m not lying when I say I approached with reconciliation in mind, but it probably resulted in that way because I hadn’t truly forgiven the person in question.

The meaning of the word forgive means to “let go.” Now, this doesn’t mean we should permit bad things to happen, nor does this mean we should lie to disguise something “wrong” as “right.”

If we want to bring peace to our marriage life, our family life, our workplace, our school, the city we live in, or even the world around us, we’ll need to let go of any bitterness and hatred we hold within ourselves.

That’s why I want those of you reading this to try this right now. I want you to release the heavy feelings you’ve been holding onto, because even if you can’t lift something heavy, you can definitely let go of it.

How?

Well, the only way to let go of something you’ve been holding onto so tightly is simply to relax.

But where’s that relaxation going to come from?

It’ll come from trusting the God who loves you. So, it’s okay to let go, a little bit at a time.

God knows about your past. In fact, He knows everything about you, and still forgives you. That’s exactly why you, with your trust in God, can also let go of the feeling of never being able to forgive others. Also, God has already forgiven the person you’ve been feeling bitter about. So, let’s let go of feeling that person is unforgivable.

Jesus died on the cross in order to shoulder the wrongs of each and every one of us. That’s why we don’t have to lift up those wrongs anymore. We can simply let go.

Since this world is not perfect, as long as we’re alive, we’ll inevitably be stuck with another “thing that should be let go of.” We’ll hurt others, and we’ll also make mistakes. So, what should we do in these cases? We can let go again. We should continue to let go every day. Each time we’re faced with a bitter situation or chained down by feelings of guilt, we should pray this prayer:

And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Matthew 6:12

And now, let’s deliver this message to those out there who are also suffering from not being able to forgive others. Just as you’ve been forgiven and forgive others, you’re the person who shoulders forgiveness!