We’ve all felt it—that ache when someone wounds us, intentionally or not. Pain leaves us at a crossroads: do we cling to it, or do we begin the journey of letting go? The truth is, forgiveness rarely happens in an instant. It’s not forgetting. It’s not pretending it didn’t hurt. It’s a process… a sacred surrender. And that surrender happens at the foot of the cross.
As we lay our pain down, something extraordinary happens. We meet the love of a Father who knows what it means to be hurt… and who knows exactly how to heal.
How many times have I grieved His heart? And yet, every time I turn around—there He is. Arms wide open. No anger. No rejection. Just grace.
Lately, I’ve been challenged by this thought: When I look in the mirror, do I see Jesus? The One who was spit on, mocked, beaten, and crucified… And while the world did its worst to Him, He did His best for the world. With blood pouring and breath fading, He whispered, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Maybe today, you’re battling to forgive someone who deeply hurt you. Or maybe… you’re the one who needs forgiving, and you’re struggling to forgive yourself. Either way, I want you to know this: Holding on to pain turns it into an open wound. But when we bring it to Jesus, healing begins.
Scars may remain, and that’s okay. Scars don’t mean we’re broken—they mean we’ve been made whole. They remind us of what Jesus paid for, and of what He’s redeemed in us.
Forgiveness isn’t weakness. It’s power. The kind that only comes from God. And He will empower you to forgive—not just to set others free, but to set you free too.
So take heart. Seek Him. Let Him meet you in the pain, in the questions, in the letting go. There’s peace waiting for you at the cross.
-Vanessa
Upendo Ministries 
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