I, like you, have opinions too. We’re entitled to them.
We’re witnessing a culture where disagreement has become demonisation, where holding firm convictions somehow means we can’t extend grace to those who think differently.
When we lose that balance, disagreement turns into hurt, hurt into offense, and offense into hate.
This cycle doesn’t just happen in our national conversations — it happens in our personal relationships too.
Have you ever been so hurt by someone that forgiving them felt impossible?
I remember trying to organise a thanksgiving dinner (yes, I know we’re Australian).
Called our closest friends — everyone had excuses. Then on the day, I drove past one of their houses. There they were, having dinner together. Without us.
I was gutted. They’d lied to exclude us. I remember gripping that steering wheel thinking, “I can’t let this go.” And for weeks, I didn’t.
Here’s the thing — that grudge wasn’t hurting them. It was eating me alive. Like drinking poison and expecting them to get sick.
You’ve been there too, haven’t you? That gut-punch of betrayal. We’ve all wondered how we’ll ever let it go.
But here’s what I learned: Unforgiveness doesn’t trap the other person. It traps us.
There’s this story about a guy who asked Jesus, “How many times should I forgive someone? Seven times?” Jesus said, “Try unlimited times.”
A king decided to collect debts.
One guy owed millions — impossible to repay. When the man begged for mercy, the king wiped it clean. Gone.
But then that guy found someone who owed him a few bucks.
Grabbed him by the throat, demanded payment.
When the king heard this, he was furious. “I forgave you everything, and you can’t forgive this?”
The point hit me like a truck. How much have I been forgiven? Every failure, every mistake — wiped clean. Yet I was holding on to this dinner like it was unforgivable.
Now, let me be clear — forgiveness doesn’t mean abandoning our principles. If someone’s destructive, forgiving them doesn’t mean enabling their behaviour.
But it does mean releasing the anger that’s poisoning our hearts.
Jesus wasn’t just talking about some future heaven. He was talking about building something better right here, right now — communities where truth and grace coexist, where we can stand firm on what we believe while still extending love to those who disagree.
Someone once said unforgiveness is like being locked in a prison where you hold the key.
Forgiveness isn’t about them deserving it. It’s about setting yourself free.
Who’s holding your heart hostage right now? What if you took the first step today and just ... let it go?
Not because it’s easy, but because it’s the only way forward.
You don’t have to feel ready. Forgiveness isn’t a feeling — it’s a choice. And when you make that choice, you find peace. You find freedom. And maybe, just maybe, you find a fresh start.
Rob Wiltshire
Epicentre Church
23°C