Day 16

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13 NIV

Nothing slows down spiritual progress like carrying the wounds from yesterday. Unforgiveness doesn't just stay in your heart. It overflows into every area of your life. You cannot build a strong life while dragging around the weight of offence, bitterness, and hurt.

Colossians tells us to forgive the same way Jesus forgave us. He forgave us fully, freely, and undeservingly. Forgiveness isn't saying what happened was okay. It's saying, it can't control you anymore. It's releasing the grip of the past so God can heal what's broken and rebuild what was damaged.

Forgiveness is not a feeling. It's an act of faith. You may not feel ready to forgive, but obedience opens the door for healing. When you forgive, you're not freeing the other person; you're freeing yourself. You're choosing peace over the poison that unforgiveness is. You're choosing God's future over your past hurt.

You can't move forward if you're anchored to what happened. Forgive today— not because they deserve it, but because God has too much ahead of you for you to stay stuck in what is behind you.

Today:

• Identify who or what you're holding onto

• Say a prayer for forgiveness— God, I release this person in this pain to you. Hit my heart, and help me to move forward.

• Release the right to revenge or repayment— let God be the judge and the healer. Your job is to let go.

• Take one step forward emotionally— stop rehearsing the hurt, returning to the story, and reopening the wound.