True freedom can never exist without forgiveness, for it is through the act of releasing others that we unshackle ourselves. Forgiveness is not merely an absolution of others’ transgressions but a reclamation of our own sovereignty.
– R.M. Sydnor
Is the life you are living today one shaped by the freedom of forgiveness or the weight of what you refuse to release?
Freedom and forgiveness are often treated as separate virtues—one a grand ideal, the other a quiet, often painful concession. Yet, in truth, they are inseparable. You may consider yourself free while harboring resentment, but that is an illusion. To be bound by the past, shackled to grudges, is to live in a self-imposed prison. Freedom is not merely the absence of external constraints; it is the mastery of one’s inner world. And in this domain, forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door.
Consider the weight of resentment. Every slight, every wound left untended, accumulates like stones in a satchel slung over your back. The burden does not diminish with time; rather, it grows heavier, pressing down on your shoulders, bending your posture, limiting your stride. You may believe that withholding forgiveness protects you, that it serves as a form of justice or even self-respect. But in reality, it is not the transgressor who suffers under the weight—it is you.
This is your summons: Will you continue carrying the burden of unforgiveness, or will you choose the radical act of release? The question is not rhetorical; it is inescapable. To forgive is not to forget, nor is it to condone. It is a reclaiming of power—a refusal to let the past dictate the present. The decision is yours alone.
Unforgiveness is a slow poison. It does not deliver its damage in a single, dramatic moment; rather, it erodes your well-being, little by little, day by day. It alters the way you see the world, the way you interact with others, the way you carry yourself. It turns past wounds into present barriers, keeping you from forming deeper connections, from experiencing true joy. The mind, when trapped in resentment, is like a river blocked by debris. It stagnates.
Imagine two prisoners shackled together. One believes he is holding the chain as a means of control, as a way of ensuring that the other does not escape justice. But in reality, both are bound. The one who refuses to release is as much a captive as the one who longs for freedom.
To forgive is to sever the chain—not for the sake of the other, but for your own.
Call to Action
Forgiveness is not a passive surrender but an act of defiance. It is a declaration that you will not be defined by wounds inflicted upon you. It is an act of self-liberation. The decision stands before you now: will you continue carrying the weight of what has been done to you, or will you reclaim your sovereignty?
The past may have shaped you, but it does not own you.
RMS INSIGHTS ✍🏾 