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What if something you’re holding on to is keeping you from receiving the freedom God has for you? Today we’re looking at one line in the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus immediately circles back to—and the implications are huge.
In Matthew 6:12 NLT, Jesus teaches us to pray, “Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” And just two verses later, Jesus doubles down. He says, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14 NLT).
That’s a big statement. Jesus is showing us that we can’t fully grasp the generosity of God’s forgiveness while simultaneously choosing to withhold forgiveness from someone else.
Forgiveness doesn’t just affect the person who hurt you—it frees you, too. You might be holding onto something that happened years ago, replaying it in your mind, carrying the bitterness, or wishing they could somehow understand the pain they caused. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean saying, “It’s fine. You’re fine. We’re fine.” It means saying, “Yes, it happened. Yes, it hurt. What you did was wrong. But I’m choosing not to carry this offense anymore.” It means releasing the desire to get even, refusing to keep using the offense as a weapon, and asking God to heal the places in your heart that still hurt.
Today, ask God to reveal anything you might be holding onto. Is there someone you still feel bitterness toward? If a name comes to mind, you can pray something as simple as, “Lord, I forgive this person for what they did to me. I release the bitterness I’ve been carrying. Please heal my heart and help me stop holding on to resentment.” And if you’re not there yet, that’s okay. Start by asking God to soften your heart and help you become willing to forgive. You don’t have to pretend it didn’t happen. You simply have to surrender it to God.
Pray: God, you are a good Father who wants good things for your children. Help me release the hurt, bitterness, and resentment I’ve been holding onto. Amen.