Weekly Magazine | Finding Freedom Through Forgiveness
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Dear Friends,
Most of us have heard the phrase “forgive and forget” so many times it has lost its weight. But for anyone who has been deeply wounded, those three words can feel less like wisdom and more like a verdict. How do you forget something that shattered your trust? How do you stop a memory from surfacing at the worst possible moment?
Forgiveness is one of the most countercultural, costly, and ultimately freeing things a follower of Jesus will ever choose.
It does not mean what happened was okay, or that the pain wasn’t real. Forgiveness also doesn’t mean we’re “over it,” because God helps us heal over time.
Whether you’re carrying bitterness toward someone else, struggling to believe God could truly forgive you, or confused about why forgiving feels like it never quite “takes,” there is something here for you. We are so glad you are here for this conversation.
Encouraging you in God’s truth,
Pushing at the Wrong Door | T. Windahl
When conflict with a Bible study teacher left T. Windahl and her husband trapped in bitterness, it took an ordinary moment in a grocery store parking lot to show her what God had been trying to say all along. This story will change the way you see every door you push against.
What Does It Mean to Forgive and Forget? | Debbie W. Wilson
Debbie Wilson unpacks what God actually means when He says He will "remember our sins no more," and how that truth became the lifeline someone needed to save her marriage and her heart.
The Key to Restoring Our Joy | Lynne Farrell
Lynne Farrell thought she had forgiven the man who broke her heart in college, until she saw him at a reunion and realized the bitterness had simply gone quiet. Her honest reckoning on the side of a highway became a turning point, and the truth she discovered there just might unlock something in you too.
Also:
Pushing at the Wrong Door
A Memorable Lesson on Forgiving Others.
By T. Windahl
My husband, Pete, and I once belonged to a Bible study group where conflict arose between us and one of our teachers. This conflict began soon after we had agreed to take on the role of heading up the prayer ministry within the group.
More than burdened by this conflict, Pete met with our teacher for lunch to discuss the shocking and difficult situation that had arisen between us. Unfortunately, nothing was resolved over lunch. Nothing could be agreed upon, and the tension between us persisted. It hung over us like a cloud during our every interaction.
Unforgiveness within Pete and me eventually bore the fruit of bitterness. That bitterness eventually consumed our minds and our conversations. For weeks, we were angry, hurt, sad, and confused. The situation did not make any sense to us, and we remained stuck in our ugly bitterness.
A Sobering Lesson
One day, Pete and I were driving somewhere when we realized we needed to stop at a cash machine. So Pete drove to the nearest grocery store, and I waited in the car while he ran in to get the cash.
While waiting for Pete, I happened to notice a man with a young boy walking towards the store’s main doors.
