Happy Thursday. I hope July was nothing less than amazing, and if it was a struggle, I’m believing that August is holding promises that will be fulfilled. Today, I was thinking about how the enemy uses the trap of unforgiveness and bitterness. I believe that’s why there’s so much discord in friendships and relationships. We’re all broken vessels, bound to hurt one another, even when we mean well. Sometimes we can mean well but not do well. That doesn’t make us inherently evil; it’s just that people are experiencing you through their own lens, belief systems, cultural differences, and other filters. So getting through all that daily and still trying to connect with someone is going to be challenging.

‘“How joyful you are when you make peace! For then you will be recognized as a true child of God. ‘

Matthew 5:9 TPT

The enemy thrives on that bitterness. He knows unforgiveness can trap us and keep us stagnant in our wounds. I’ve heard people say they’re giving up on love after heartbreak, or that they’ll never open up to friendship again after betrayal, or even walk away from church altogether because of hurt they experienced there. And while that pain is real and valid, the issue is in staying there and letting that pain build walls. Guarding yourself like that doesn’t just block love from coming in, it blocks you from giving it too. That kind of self-preservation is often our inner child trying to stay safe, and while that’s understandable, it can be deeply damaging. It keeps you locked in a cycle of broken relationships. The enemy loves that because it blinds you to his tactic. Bitterness and unforgiveness don’t harm the other person, they hurt you. Forgiveness isn’t about excusing what happened; it’s about choosing freedom.

“ And when you pray , make sure you forgive the faults of others so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you withhold forgiveness from others, your Father withholds forgiveness from you.”

Matthew 6:14-15 TPT

I pray we find the strength to walk through the hurt and pain we’ve carried, and to forgive those who may never offer an apology. May we release ourselves from the weight of it all, and begin to truly heal.