Forgiven and Forgiving
Forgiveness unclenches the heart—rest begins where release happens.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reflection from Ray Stedman invites us into the heart of true emotional rest—the kind that flows from a conscience made clean by the forgiveness of Christ and kept clear by extending that same forgiveness to others. Ray Stedman draws our attention to a pattern common to all believers: the inner unease that grows when guilt and resentment linger. He calls these the two “monsters” of fear and guilt—dragons that consume peace and stir emotional turmoil.
When we pray, “Forgive us our sins,” we are not asking for something uncertain—we’re appropriating a spiritual reality that already belongs to every believer in Christ. Romans 8:1 declares that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The simple request of Luke 11:4 is a declaration of liberty. Yet, that sense of peace will not take root unless we also forgive others. Jesus links the two with unshakable clarity: you cannot genuinely enjoy God’s cleansing while clinging to bitterness toward another.
This is not about earning forgiveness—Christ's sacrifice has secured that fully. But the daily experience of peace, the ongoing enjoyment of intimate fellowship, is hindered when we refuse to release others from their debts. Unforgiveness acts like emotional static, disrupting the quiet joy of union with Christ. As Stedman points out, Jesus insists we deal with our grievances first—then come to the altar. When we extend the grace we’ve received, we open our hearts wide to enjoy the freedom Christ died to give.
✍🏼 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You are already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you. You are no longer under condemnation, for you are in Christ and I have carried the full weight of your guilt upon Myself. Your record is not marked by sin, but by righteousness—My righteousness imparted to you. I have removed your transgressions as far as the east is from the west, and I remember your sins no more.
Yet I call you to walk in this forgiveness, not just receive it. You cannot treasure My mercy while withholding it from another. Do not come to Me clutching the chains of another’s offense. Release them. Let the grace you have received flow through you, for you were never meant to be a reservoir of mercy—but a riverbed through which My forgiveness flows.
This is not a transaction; it is transformation. In choosing to forgive, you align yourself with My heart. You choose the cross over the grudge. You choose peace over poison. And in that surrender, you experience again the sweetness of unbroken fellowship. My peace is not partial—it fills the heart that refuses to keep score.
Come now. Lay down what you’ve carried. You don’t need to punish anyone with silence or coldness. I am the One who justifies. I am the One who heals. As you release them, I release you into deeper joy. Let your heart beat freely again in rhythm with Mine.
Scriptures referenced: Luke 11:4; Romans 8:1; Matthew 5:24; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13; John 15:3; Psalm 103:12
🧺 Real-Life Analogy
It’s like trying to sleep while clenching your fists. You may lie in bed, exhausted, but your body refuses to rest until it lets go. True rest doesn’t come by effort—it comes by release. Forgiveness is the unclenching of the heart. Only when you let go can your soul finally breathe.
🙏🏼 Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that in Christ I am fully forgiven—no condemnation, no shadow between us. I rest in the finished work of the cross, knowing that I am clean and accepted. And now, with that same grace, I release every offense I’ve carried. I refuse to hold debts that You already paid. I rejoice that forgiveness flows freely—both to me and through me. Thank You for the peace that follows release. In Jesus, I am free to forgive and free to rest.