December 29th, 2025
by Steven Shaw
by Steven Shaw
Ephesians 4:31–32 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Devotional: The Wounds Beneath the Surface
Recovery is not just about stopping harmful behavior — it’s about healing the wounds that fed it. Beneath every addiction, resentment, or destructive pattern lies a wound: rejection, betrayal, abandonment, or loss. Healing begins when we bring those wounds into the light and let Christ touch what we’ve tried to hide. Forgiveness is often the hardest part of that process. Many people carry invisible chains, not from what they’ve done, but from what’s been done to them. Unforgiveness disguises itself as protection — “I’ll never let that happen again” — but it slowly poisons the heart. Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:31–32 call us to lay down bitterness, anger, and malice — not because they aren’t justified feelings, but because they keep us enslaved to pain. We are commanded to forgive not to minimize wrongs, but to release ourselves from their control. The Gospel teaches that we forgive as God in Christ forgave us. That’s the pattern and power of forgiveness: we extend to others what we ourselves have received.
Healing Happens in the Light
James 5:16 reveals a spiritual principle that often gets overlooked: “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” Notice it doesn’t just say “forgiven” — it says healed. There’s something uniquely powerful about bringing our pain, sin, and shame into the open before another believer. Hidden wounds cannot heal. God designed community as the environment for restoration. That is the importance of the church. When you share your story, the darkness loses its grip. When you confess honestly and receive prayer, shame loses its voice. When you forgive, bitterness loses its home. Healing happens when truth replaces secrecy, and grace replaces guilt.
The Pattern of Christ
At the cross, Jesus demonstrated the ultimate forgiveness. As the nails pierced His hands and the crowd mocked Him, He prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) That prayer wasn’t sentimental; it was supernatural. It broke the curse of revenge and redefined justice through mercy. The same Spirit that empowered Christ to forgive now lives in you. If you’re in Christ, you are both forgiven and forgiving — both a receiver and a releaser of grace. God never meant for you to hold onto the poison of bitterness.
Forgiveness Is Not Forgetting
Forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending the pain didn’t happen. It doesn’t mean you trust someone who remains unsafe. Forgiveness is releasing your right to revenge and handing justice over to God. Romans 12:19 says, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.” That’s not weakness; that’s faith. It means you believe God’s justice is better than your retaliation. When we refuse to forgive, we keep replaying the offense in our minds, reliving the pain, and reopening the wound. But when we forgive, we hand the offender over to God and free our hearts to heal. It’s not about letting someone off the hook — it’s about getting yourself off the hook they left you hanging on.
The Two Sides of Forgiveness
Many believers accept God’s forgiveness intellectually but still live with emotional guilt. Healing means aligning your feelings with His truth: You are forgiven. Fully. Finally. Forever.
Application: Practicing Release
Prayer
Jesus, You are the Healer of hearts.
You forgave those who betrayed You, denied You, and crucified You — and still You call me to forgive. Help me to release the bitterness that’s been eating away at my peace. Show me the wounds I’ve tried to bury, and meet me there with mercy. Teach me to forgive as You have forgiven me — freely, fully, without condition. Where I’ve hurt others, give me courage to make amends. Where I’ve been wounded, give me grace to let go. Heal me from the inside out, and fill my heart with the freedom that only forgiveness brings.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Reflection
Daily Action Step
Write a letter of forgiveness (even if you never send it). Be honest about the hurt, but end it with release:
“God, I give this person and this pain to You.”
Pray over it and, when you’re ready, destroy it — as a symbol that you are no longer bound by the past.
More Scripture for Further Growth
Pray over these Scriptures. Don’t just read them — let them speak to you. Take time to read the full chapters they belong to, and allow the Holy Spirit to bring deeper understanding. These additional verses are here for those who feel a growing hunger for more each day. As your journey continues, let God’s Word become your daily source of renewal, conviction, and strength.
James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Devotional: The Wounds Beneath the Surface
Recovery is not just about stopping harmful behavior — it’s about healing the wounds that fed it. Beneath every addiction, resentment, or destructive pattern lies a wound: rejection, betrayal, abandonment, or loss. Healing begins when we bring those wounds into the light and let Christ touch what we’ve tried to hide. Forgiveness is often the hardest part of that process. Many people carry invisible chains, not from what they’ve done, but from what’s been done to them. Unforgiveness disguises itself as protection — “I’ll never let that happen again” — but it slowly poisons the heart. Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:31–32 call us to lay down bitterness, anger, and malice — not because they aren’t justified feelings, but because they keep us enslaved to pain. We are commanded to forgive not to minimize wrongs, but to release ourselves from their control. The Gospel teaches that we forgive as God in Christ forgave us. That’s the pattern and power of forgiveness: we extend to others what we ourselves have received.
Healing Happens in the Light
James 5:16 reveals a spiritual principle that often gets overlooked: “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” Notice it doesn’t just say “forgiven” — it says healed. There’s something uniquely powerful about bringing our pain, sin, and shame into the open before another believer. Hidden wounds cannot heal. God designed community as the environment for restoration. That is the importance of the church. When you share your story, the darkness loses its grip. When you confess honestly and receive prayer, shame loses its voice. When you forgive, bitterness loses its home. Healing happens when truth replaces secrecy, and grace replaces guilt.
The Pattern of Christ
At the cross, Jesus demonstrated the ultimate forgiveness. As the nails pierced His hands and the crowd mocked Him, He prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) That prayer wasn’t sentimental; it was supernatural. It broke the curse of revenge and redefined justice through mercy. The same Spirit that empowered Christ to forgive now lives in you. If you’re in Christ, you are both forgiven and forgiving — both a receiver and a releaser of grace. God never meant for you to hold onto the poison of bitterness.
Forgiveness Is Not Forgetting
Forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending the pain didn’t happen. It doesn’t mean you trust someone who remains unsafe. Forgiveness is releasing your right to revenge and handing justice over to God. Romans 12:19 says, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.” That’s not weakness; that’s faith. It means you believe God’s justice is better than your retaliation. When we refuse to forgive, we keep replaying the offense in our minds, reliving the pain, and reopening the wound. But when we forgive, we hand the offender over to God and free our hearts to heal. It’s not about letting someone off the hook — it’s about getting yourself off the hook they left you hanging on.
The Two Sides of Forgiveness
- Forgiving Others
- Letting go of anger toward those who have hurt you.
- Choosing grace even when justice feels more satisfying.
- Asking God to give you His heart toward them.
- Receiving Forgiveness
- Accepting God’s full pardon through Christ.
- Letting go of self-condemnation.
- Believing that “as far as the east is from the west,” so far has He removed your sin (Psalm 103:12).
Many believers accept God’s forgiveness intellectually but still live with emotional guilt. Healing means aligning your feelings with His truth: You are forgiven. Fully. Finally. Forever.
Application: Practicing Release
- Reflect: Who comes to mind when you hear the word “forgiveness”?
Ask God to show you not just the face but the weight — the place in your heart still holding onto resentment. - Pray: “Lord, help me to see this person through Your eyes.”
Sometimes healing begins not with a feeling but with a prayer of obedience. - Write: Write a letter of forgiveness — even if you never send it.
Tell the truth about the pain, but release the power of revenge. - Confess: If you’ve wronged someone, humble yourself to make it right.
Healing multiplies when confession meets grace.
Prayer
Jesus, You are the Healer of hearts.
You forgave those who betrayed You, denied You, and crucified You — and still You call me to forgive. Help me to release the bitterness that’s been eating away at my peace. Show me the wounds I’ve tried to bury, and meet me there with mercy. Teach me to forgive as You have forgiven me — freely, fully, without condition. Where I’ve hurt others, give me courage to make amends. Where I’ve been wounded, give me grace to let go. Heal me from the inside out, and fill my heart with the freedom that only forgiveness brings.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Reflection
- Who do I need to forgive — or ask forgiveness from?
- What pain am I still holding that God wants to heal?
- How does remembering God’s forgiveness toward me reshape how I treat others?
- What would change in my life if I truly believed “I am forgiven”?
Daily Action Step
Write a letter of forgiveness (even if you never send it). Be honest about the hurt, but end it with release:
“God, I give this person and this pain to You.”
Pray over it and, when you’re ready, destroy it — as a symbol that you are no longer bound by the past.
More Scripture for Further Growth
- Matthew 6:14–15 — “If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
- Colossians 3:12–13 — “Forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
- Psalm 147:3 — “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
- Luke 23:34 — “Father, forgive them…”
- Romans 12:17–19 — “Never avenge yourselves.”
- 1 John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us.”
- Micah 7:18–19 — “You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
Pray over these Scriptures. Don’t just read them — let them speak to you. Take time to read the full chapters they belong to, and allow the Holy Spirit to bring deeper understanding. These additional verses are here for those who feel a growing hunger for more each day. As your journey continues, let God’s Word become your daily source of renewal, conviction, and strength.
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