Forgiveness can feel impossible. Especially when the people who hurt us deny responsibility, hurt us deeply, or fail to change. Yet, as we learn in our REBOOT courses, forgiveness is not about letting someone off the hook. It is about freeing yourself.
At REBOOT, we see two major sources of emotional and spiritual wounds: failing to receive God’s unconditional love, grace, and forgiveness, and failing to offer that same grace and forgiveness to others. Both create chains that keep us stuck.
Take the story of Ricky Jackson. Wrongly convicted at 18, he spent 39 years in prison. After his release, he said he intended to live well, not focused on revenge or bitterness. He forgave the young boy whose false testimony helped put him in prison. Jackson understood a truth that can transform anyone. There is no real freedom without forgiveness.
Unforgiveness, on the other hand, is like carrying a bag of rocks. Each grudge, each resentment, each unresolved offense adds weight. Over time, it drags you down, impacts your health, and shapes the way you treat yourself and others. You might feel free physically, but emotionally and spiritually, you remain trapped.
Forgiveness does not mean you excuse the hurt. It does not mean you allow abuse to continue. And it does not mean you have to reconcile with the person who harmed you. Forgiveness is a choice, a release, and a commandment. It starts with faith, supported by facts, and eventually transforms your feelings. It is not about them. It is about you.
Choosing forgiveness is choosing freedom. It is choosing to stop carrying the weight of anger, bitterness, and revenge. It is choosing to reclaim your life and joy. As REBOOT teaches, when we set others free through forgiveness, we set ourselves free too.
If forgiveness feels impossible today, start small. Identify one hurt you can release. Pray, reflect, or write it down. You do not need to feel ready to forgive. Start with a decision and let your feelings catch up. Over time, as you practice forgiveness, the weight lifts, and healing begins.
Forgiveness versus Unforgiveness:
| Forgiveness | Unforgiveness |
|---|---|
| Frees your heart | Keeps you trapped |
| Releases the burden of anger | Adds weight and resentment |
| Lets you experience joy and peace | Keeps joy distant |
| Empowers you to heal | Holds you captive to the past |
Forgive for your own good. Forgive because it is the path to freedom. And remember, when you set someone else free through forgiveness, you set yourself free too.