Let it Go Before it Grows
Well, doggone it! Hush my mouth and hand me a glass of real cold, sweet ice tea. This here discussion is about to do some real steppin’ on some toes and maybe even heal some hearts all at the same time. So, pull up a mighty comfy rocker, butterbean, ’cause we’re ‘a-fixin’ to talk about forgiveness, the kind that feels harder than ‘a-tryin’ to baptize a cat.
Psalm 66:18 sets the tone like a church piano on a Sunday mornin’: “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Now that’ll make you sit up straighter than a rooster at sunrise. Sometimes the mountain in front of us ain’t the problem. Nope, it’s the grudge we’re ‘a-clutchin’ tighter than a tick on a hound dog.
Jesus spells it out plain as cornbread in Mark 11:25: “When you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against.” In other words, don’t come ‘a-askin’ God to move mountains when you won’t budge an inch yourself.
And bless our hearts, Jesus doubles down in Matthew 5:23–24, ‘a-tellin’ us to drop our fancy sacrifices and go make things right with folks before we come waltzin’ back to the altar. That’s like Mama ‘a-sayin’, “Don’t you dare sit at my table till you apologize to your sister.” You knew right then that yo’ mama, she done meant business sho’ ‘nuff.
Now, sometimes people won’t talk, won’t listen, or act pricklier than a porcupine in a poke sack. That’s when Matthew 18:15–17 gives us a path, at least when both folks love Jesus. When they don’t? Well, sugarplum, that’s when we trust God’s timing like a farmer trusts the rain.
But let’s be ‘a-tellin’ truth here; some of us are ‘a-collectin’ offenses like squirrels ‘a-collectin’ them acorns. We’re ‘a-stewin’, we’re ‘a-simmerin’, we’re ‘a-rehearsin’ speeches in the shower. Meanwhile, Ephesians 4:31–32 is ‘a-tellin’ us to toss meanness, bitterness, rage, and harsh words right on out the back door like yesterday’s trash and replace ’em with kindness and forgiveness.
God forgave us a big ol’ debt larger than a Texas sky. ‘A-holdin’ on to them grudges after that is like ‘a-bein’ forgiven so ya’ don’t have to pay back a million dollars and then ‘a-goin’ and ‘a-fussin’ at somebody who owes you a nickel.
So, who’s that there person you avoid like a skunk at a picnic? Who is that one who makes your eye twitch? Who jumps into your mind right now? That there’s your assignment, friend. Forgiveness ain’t easy, but it’s sho’ ‘nuff freedom, and it unclogs the prayer pipeline to the Lord faster than you can say “Hallelujah.”
Father, soften my heart and scrape out every bit of bitterness ‘a-hidin’ in the corners. Teach me to forgive like You forgive me: fully, freely, and without ‘a-keepin’ score. Give me courage to seek peace, wisdom to speak gently, and humility to admit my own faults. Use me as an instrument of reconciliation in Your perfect timing. In Jesus’ holy name, Amen.
Well, I reckon that’s enough o' that there heart‑tillin’ out in the fields of grace-makin’ for today. Now go on, buttercup, get to forgivin’ somebody with the same rootin’-tootin’ determination that a mama cow has when she’s ‘a-protectin’ her lil’ baby calf. This here ol’ world’s mighty, mighty desperate for that kind of grace.
With joy,
Gwen
