Healing From The Pain Of Unforgiveness. Matthew 18:21-35

Healing from the Pain of Unforgiveness, Matthew 18:21-35

Good Morning

Stand with me and lift your bible and repeat after me.

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I can do what it says I can do.

I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.

Today I will learn more of the word of God.

The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.

I will never be the same.

I will never be the same.

In Jesus Name

Amen?

Before you sit down, say good morning to your brothers and sisters.

"Healing from the Pain of Unforgiveness"

Turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew 18:21-35 and say, “Amen” when you are there.

The Heavy Burden of Unforgiveness

Have you ever felt trapped by anger, bitterness, or the weight of a wound that won’t heal?

Unforgiveness is a silent prison that keeps us chained to the past, preventing us from experiencing the full freedom Christ offers.

We often think that by holding onto unforgiveness, we are protecting ourselves or punishing the one who hurt us.

But in reality, unforgiveness is a chain that binds us to the past, holding us back from the future God wants to give us.

Forgiveness is not just a command from God—it is a path to healing. It is the key that opens the prison doors of our hearts, setting us free from the things that keep us stuck in the pain of the past.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)

Let's look at Matthew chapter 18

Jesus tells a powerful story about forgiveness in Matthew 18:21-35. In this parable, a king forgives a servant a massive debt—an amount the servant could never repay. But when that servant encounters someone who owes him a much smaller amount, he refuses to forgive and has the man thrown into prison.

When the king hears about this, he becomes furious. He calls the unforgiving servant to account, asking, “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” And because the servant did not forgive, the king handed him over to be tortured until he could repay everything.

Jesus concludes the parable by saying, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

The story is a stark reminder:

Forgiveness is not optional for those who have been forgiven by God. We have all been forgiven a debt we could never repay.

The beauty of the gospel is that God, in His mercy, released us from that debt, and He calls us to extend that same mercy and grace to others.

Let me share with you a story of a woman named Carla, whose journey toward forgiveness might encourage your heart.

Carla was raised in a difficult household. Her father had been emotionally abusive, and his harsh words left deep wounds that Carla carried for years. She lived with anger and bitterness, feeling rejected and unloved by her own father. For years, she kept her distance from him, unable to let go of the pain. She convinced herself that forgiveness meant letting him off the hook, that he didn’t deserve to be forgiven.

But one Sunday, as Carla sat in church, she heard the story of the prodigal son. The message hit her like a thunderbolt. She realized that forgiveness wasn’t about the person who hurt her—it was about her own healing.

Forgiveness was not for her father’s sake, but for her own peace and freedom.

She decided to reach out to her father, and when they spoke, she told him, “I forgive you.” It wasn’t easy, and it didn’t change everything overnight. But for Carla, forgiveness released her from years of bitterness, pain, and rejection. She was no longer a prisoner to her past. It wasn’t the act of forgiving that healed her immediately, but her choice to release the pain and trust God with it.

Over time, Carla found a new sense of peace, joy, and restoration. She experienced what the Bible promises: Forgiveness sets us free, and that freedom can transform every area of our lives.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that what was done to us doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t mean that justice isn’t important. It means that we release the right to get even and trust God to bring about justice in His perfect time. Forgiveness is letting go of the need to control the outcome and allowing God to heal our hearts.

Here are practical steps for healing through forgiveness:

1. Acknowledge the Hurt:

The first step is to recognize the pain. Don't brush it aside. Recognize that the offense was real, that the hurt was deep. God sees your pain, and He understands it.