A few weeks ago, I attended a special prayer meeting centered around inner healing, and it was a powerful reminder that many of us are carrying wounds and hurts that we’ve never truly dealt with. We’ve pushed them down, trying our best to forget. But the problem is that unresolved pain doesn’t stay buried. It finds its way back to the surface—often when we least expect it and in ways we don’t always recognize.
That’s why it’s so important to invite God into those broken places. Psalm 147:3 tells us that “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” God is not indifferent to our pain. He doesn’t tell us to simply “get over it.” He meets us in our brokenness, and He lovingly begins to restore what has been damaged. But I’ve discovered one of the keys to experiencing healing is learning how to forgive.
Forgiveness is not saying that what someone did was okay. It’s not minimizing the offense or pretending it didn’t hurt. Forgiveness is about releasing the pain to God so that it no longer holds power over us. When we choose to forgive, we open the door for God to begin a deep healing work in our hearts.
Jesus modeled this kind of forgiveness on the cross. In Luke 23:34, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” If anyone had a reason to hold on to hurt, it was Jesus. Yet, even in His suffering, He chose forgiveness. And in doing so, He not only made a way for our salvation but showed us the path to healing.
Unforgiveness is like a chain around our soul—it weighs us down, robs us of peace, and stunts our spiritual growth. But forgiveness sets us free. Free to move forward. Free to love again. Free to receive all that God has for us. As Colossians 3:13 reminds us, “Bear with each other and forgive one another… Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” God’s forgiveness isn’t just something we receive—it’s something we’re called to extend.
So I encourage us to ask ourselves: Is there someone we haven’t forgiven? Are there wounds we’ve been carrying that God is calling us to release? We may never hear the apology we would hope for, but we can’t let someone else’s failure keep us from the healing God wants to give. Forgiveness is not about changing the past—it’s about releasing the future.
Take a moment to bring these hurts before the Lord. Let Him meet you right where you’re at. Choose to forgive—not because they deserve it, but because “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). And holding on to unforgiveness keeps us bound and chained. Let go, and let God begin the healing work only He can do.
God, You see the pain we’ve carried—the wounds we’ve tried to hide. We invite You into those broken places today. Show us where we need to forgive, and give us the strength to do it. We choose to release the hurt to You, knowing that You are the One who heals and restores. Bind up our wounds, Lord. Bring freedom and peace to our hearts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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