The Weight of Yesterday | Thursday
Devotional
There’s a weight that some of us carry that we were never meant to bear—the weight of unforgiveness. Maybe someone betrayed your trust, spoke lies about you, or hurt someone you love. The pain was real, the damage was significant, and the injustice still stings when you think about it.
Here’s what’s both difficult and liberating to understand: your grudge isn’t hurting them. It’s hurting you. That bitterness you’re nurturing? It’s like drinking poison and expecting the other person to get sick. Meanwhile, they might be sleeping peacefully while you’re losing sleep over what they did.
Forgiveness isn’t about pretending the hurt didn’t happen or that what they did was okay. It’s not about trusting them again or even having a relationship with them. Forgiveness is about opening your clenched fist and letting them go—releasing them to God’s justice and mercy instead of trying to be their judge and jury.
Sometimes the person who hurt you will never apologize, never acknowledge their wrong, never even think they did anything that needs forgiveness. You might need to forgive them without them ever asking. This isn’t about them—it’s about your freedom.
When you choose forgiveness, you’re not saying what they did was right. You’re saying that God’s justice is better than your revenge, and His healing is more powerful than your hurt. You’re choosing to let yesterday’s pain stop poisoning today’s peace.
Bible Verse
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” – Romans 12:19
Reflection Question
Is there someone from your past that you need to release through forgiveness, and what would it look like to open your clenched fist and let them go?
Quote
Forgiveness is a clenched fist. You let it go. You let them go. You give them over to the Lord.
Prayer
God, I acknowledge the hurt and pain I’ve experienced, but I don’t want to carry this burden anymore. Help me to forgive as You have forgiven me. Give me the strength to release those who have wronged me into Your hands. Heal my heart and restore my peace. Amen.