Forgiveness Isn't Letting Them Win. It is Letting You Live
Forgiveness Isn't Letting them Win. It Is Letting You Live
Devotion by Pastor Alexander L. Redd
February 5, 2026
Some wounds cut so deep that forgiving can feel like betraying yourself. You keep replaying what happened, and a part of you thinks, “If I forgive, they get away with it.” That fear is real because pain speaks loudly. But the truth is, forgiving someone doesn’t mean they win. It means you stop letting what happened control your life. You choose freedom instead of staying trapped by hurt.
You let God carry what you were never meant to carry alone. Holding on to bitterness can feel like you’re in control, but it slowly turns into a cage. You might lose sleep, feel less peace, and find your prayers harder. Joy seems far away. Meanwhile, the person who hurt you might move on, but you’re left carrying the burden. That’s why forgiveness is really about your own soul, not theirs. Forgiving doesn’t mean what they did was right. It doesn’t remove accountability or mean you have to trust them again.
Forgiveness is letting go of your right to get even and giving it to God, who judges fairly. You step out of the mental courtroom and let God take over. When you forgive, something changes. The pain might still be there, but it doesn’t control you anymore. You start to feel lighter and live from a place of healing, not hurt. You focus less on what happened and more on what God promises.
If you’re having a hard time today, start small. Pray honestly: “Lord, I want to be free, but I’m not there yet. Help me.” God isn’t put off by your struggle. He meets you where you are. Forgiveness is often a choice you make again and again until your feelings catch up. You are not letting them win. You’re letting yourself live. You’re choosing peace and wholeness. You’re choosing to trust God with what you can’t fix.
Devotion by Pastor Alexander L. Redd
February 5, 2026
Some wounds cut so deep that forgiving can feel like betraying yourself. You keep replaying what happened, and a part of you thinks, “If I forgive, they get away with it.” That fear is real because pain speaks loudly. But the truth is, forgiving someone doesn’t mean they win. It means you stop letting what happened control your life. You choose freedom instead of staying trapped by hurt.
You let God carry what you were never meant to carry alone. Holding on to bitterness can feel like you’re in control, but it slowly turns into a cage. You might lose sleep, feel less peace, and find your prayers harder. Joy seems far away. Meanwhile, the person who hurt you might move on, but you’re left carrying the burden. That’s why forgiveness is really about your own soul, not theirs. Forgiving doesn’t mean what they did was right. It doesn’t remove accountability or mean you have to trust them again.
Forgiveness is letting go of your right to get even and giving it to God, who judges fairly. You step out of the mental courtroom and let God take over. When you forgive, something changes. The pain might still be there, but it doesn’t control you anymore. You start to feel lighter and live from a place of healing, not hurt. You focus less on what happened and more on what God promises.
If you’re having a hard time today, start small. Pray honestly: “Lord, I want to be free, but I’m not there yet. Help me.” God isn’t put off by your struggle. He meets you where you are. Forgiveness is often a choice you make again and again until your feelings catch up. You are not letting them win. You’re letting yourself live. You’re choosing peace and wholeness. You’re choosing to trust God with what you can’t fix.
Posted in Written Devotional
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