Today I want to share with you some of the biggest revelations God has ever given me—just how much of our suffering in this life is tied to unforgiveness and how much our willingness to forgive is actually tied to our faith. Both faith and forgiveness yield freedom. I would also like to share with you how the enemy uses unforgiveness to keep us in bondage which he does with one simple yet clever little lie.

We all know unforgiveness is the root of bitterness, resentment, and hatred, but it’s also beneath so much more than that. Unforgiveness is in many cases the root of competition, perfectionism, and comparison as well.

We strive to be better than someone because we hold animosity towards that person. We want to “show” them; we want revenge. Revenge is always tied to unforgiveness. Or maybe we want to be better than someone because we simply place more value on ourselves when we are better than others. In such cases, we are harboring unforgiveness towards ourselves—unforgiveness for our short comings, our imperfections. This brings me to my next point—unforgiveness is usually the root of perfectionism. We hold unforgiveness towards ourselves for making mistakes, so we strive to be perfect. What about comparison? When we constantly compare our lives to others, who is it then we are harboring unforgiveness for? Often times, it’s God.

If we don’t forgive others, then God won’t forgive us.

Jesus states,

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:15)

The reason forgiveness is so crucial is because based on this verse, it sounds like our salvation is dependent on our ability and willingness to forgive. Even if it isn’t, it’s a very big deal because Jesus tells us so. Does God’s unforgiveness toward us mean Hell? Does it mean we will go to Heaven but receive a lesser reward? That isn’t clear; what is clear is that we won’t have God’s forgiveness, and that’s all I need to know to know I need to forgive. I need to master this while there’s still time, and so do you. It needs to become a priority in our lives.

If nothing else, God’s unforgiveness toward us could simply mean our own personal Hell on Earth; bitterness produces misery. Unforgiveness manifests itself not just spiritually but physically as well. There have been studies that show a significant link between bitterness and cancer. Unforgiveness leads to death physically as well as spiritually. In a big way, forgiveness is tied to freedom.

So once one realizes they hold unforgiveness inside of them, how do they get free?

Unforgiveness is tricky because it’s not always about our actions but heart posture. We can do everything right but still be in sin if in our hearts we harbor resentment, bitterness, hatred, yes even when we try and convince ourselves we do not.

It’s pretty clear cut how to change our actions. It may take some discipline, but we can choose not to act on our unforgiveness. But how do we eliminate unforgiveness at the root? How does one change his or her heart? It’s through wisdom, through self awareness; it’s in submitting our anger and bitterness to God who is ultimately in control, working all things out for our good.

Have you ever wondered why forgiveness is such a big deal to God? Our willingness to forgive is actually a representation of our faith—faith that God is working everything out for the good of those who love Him. You cannot please God without faith, and you cannot please God without forgiveness!

We learn to forgive ourselves, others, even God Himself when we believe in faith the Word when it tells us that God works everything out for our good. It’s our faith that ultimately reminds us that vengeance belongs to God. (Romans 12:19) Increase your faith and watch how much easier it becomes to forgive.

We learn to forgive ourselves when we accept we will never be perfect, because we are not God. We learn to forgive others in realizing we are all way more alike than we will ever be different. We differ in bodies, life experiences, circumstances, traumas, and gifting, but we all have a common enemy and are all plagued by the same dark forces of this world. When we realize this, it’s much easier to have compassion and empathy. We all need forgiveness just as much as we all need to forgive!

Our war is not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities, the rulers of this dark world. (Ephesians 6:12)

Unforgiveness is birthed from a lie of the enemy, a lie that convinces us our enemies are one another instead of the enemy himself. You must realize unforgiveness is a setup, a clever trick the enemy uses to keep you away from freedom. We must fight for our freedom; we must learn to forgive at all costs!

I hope this message encourages you to examine your life for unforgiveness. Have faith; your faith paves the way to forgiveness. Forgive—not just for your salvation but for your well being here on this earth. Unforgiveness itself hurts us way more than any offense ever could. It defiles us; it harms us physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. It puts us in bondage and separates us from God. It’s our faith that will inspire us to forgive, and forgiveness which leads us to true and lasting freedom.