Forgiveness, A Path To Deliverance and Restoration
Have you ever been disrespected, hurt, offended or even taken advantage of by people close to you?
Has the offense been so deep that forgiving and letting go feels almost impossible?
If you can relate to this, then let me tell you—you are not alone. Many of us have endured traumatic offenses throughout the course of our lives, and we’ve struggled to forgive and move forward.
The good news is that Jesus wants to deliver us from the offenses and unforgiveness keeping us stuck. He wants to unlock the healing, blessings, and breakthrough we so desperately need for the next season of our lives.
Living With Unforgiveness
Recently, I met a wonderful woman. For the purpose of this blog, I’ll call her “Mabel.” She has devoted her entire life to serving the Lord, and her words of wisdom greatly impacted me.
Little did I know, she was one of my late great aunt’s best friends and knew many of my family members, which made it all the more meaningful and special to connect with her.
One day, as we were talking, Mabel told me a personal story that marked my life with a remarkable lesson I’ll never forget.
When Mabel was in her 40s, she was in the hospital with terminal cancer. The doctors told her there was nothing more they could do except keep her comfortable and pain-free for the little time she had left.
As Mabel lay in her hospital bed all alone, a woman walked into the room with a message she said she had received from the Lord. She was a complete stranger—someone Mabel had never met, from a remote village she had never heard of.
The woman told her that the Lord said she needed to forgive her father for abandoning her as a little girl, and her best friend, who had stolen her boyfriend years ago. If she forgave them wholeheartedly, she would be healed.
Mabel was in shock. She had never expressed to anyone the great pain and bitterness she’d been carrying for years. The betrayal she suffered from her own father and best friend had completely devastated her.
Forgiveness Sets Us Free
The next day, after receiving the message from the woman, her dad showed up at the hospital. She hadn’t seen or spoken to him in years. Somehow, he had found out that Mabel was gravely ill and came to visit her.
She was surprised to see him—but she forgave him for all the hurt and wrongs he had caused.
The day after her father’s visit, her best friend—the one who had stolen her boyfriend—also came to visit. Mabel knew then that the Lord was sending these people her way so she could forgive them. So she did. She forgave her friend and made peace with her.
On the third day, the doctors ran tests—and to their surprise, she was completely healed.
She was cancer-free. Her entire system was back to normal.
A lifetime of resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness was gone in a matter of three days! Because of Mabel’s obedience to the Lord—by forgiving and letting go of the pain and the people who had hurt her the most—she was healed from a terminal disease that was about to end her life.
She’s now in her 80s—alive, well, and still serving the Lord!
Displeasing The King With Unforgiveness
The Bible tells us—in Jesus’ own words: “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 18:18).
When we live bound by unforgiveness, we bind ourselves. We become stuck.
In Mabel’s case, she was physically stuck with a terminal illness. But whether physical or emotional, unforgiveness limits us.
When we forgive, we bring freedom to our minds, bodies, and souls. Forgiveness moves us forward so we can step into the next chapter of our lives—walking in the plans God has for us.
Jesus taught us to forgive over and over again. He told us that it is the will of God.
And in the Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor, Jesus shows us what it looks like when we choose not to forgive—even after God has forgiven us.
(Matthew 18:21–35, paraphrased for length)
The master forgave the servant a great debt, yet that servant refused to forgive someone who owed him far less. In the end, the master rebuked him and handed him over to be punished because he refused to extend the same mercy he had been given.
Jesus ends the parable by warning that this is what our Heavenly Father will do if we do not forgive others from our hearts.
God Forgives the Offender—And So Should We
Many times, the offenses we’ve received are so painful that we don’t even want to consider forgiving.
This was certainly true for me. I was having a very hard time letting go. But one day, as I was praying and meditating on the situation, I had a revelation that I knew came from the Lord.
I realized that even though I was struggling to forgive, if the person who hurt me decided to repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness, Jesus would forgive them. The blood of Jesus would cover their sin completely.
And if Jesus was willing to forgive them—who was I to hold on to that offense for the rest of my life?
Have you ever found yourself in a similar place—knowing what the Lord asks of you, but struggling to let go?
We Need Jesus To Forgive
If God can forgive even the worst sins—without resentment, without keeping score—then we are called to do the same.
I’ve learned two valuable lessons about unforgiveness that I want to pass on to you:
When we don’t forgive, we hold ourselves bound. We cannot move into the next season of our lives with freedom.
If the people who have wronged us repent, Jesus will forgive them.
I know it’s hard. Sometimes it feels impossible. Forgiveness doesn’t come naturally—it takes supernatural help.
We need Jesus to help us forgive and let go.
When we don’t forgive, we’re doing ourselves a disservice. We open the door to the enemy to keep us stuck.
But today, Jesus wants to set us free. Here’s how to begin:
Ask the Lord to show you if you’ve been holding on to offense or unforgiveness toward anyone.
Ask Him to give you the strength to forgive and let go.
Forgive your offenders wholeheartedly. Lay the offense at Jesus’ feet. Plead the blood of Christ over it.
Congratulations! You’ve just silenced the accuser.
The spiritual obstructions that have kept you stuck due to unforgiveness have now been lifted.
Now watch as your forgiveness opens the door to spiritual and physical healing, delayed blessings, and the restoration you need to walk into your new season of life.
Much love,
Jackie