The Debt Collector’s Resignation

Today's Word of Wonder: Remission

The Scripture Spotlight for Today

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."— Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

The Devotion: Cutting the Cord

In the ancient world, the word for forgiveness was often associated with Remission—the cancellation of a debt or the release of a prisoner. When we refuse to forgive, we stay spiritually "tethered" to the person who offended us. We think we are holding them accountable, but in reality, they are setting the tempo of our heart-rate.

The WOW Moment today is realizing that you don't have the "Being" capacity to be both a child of God and a full-time Debt Collector.

If your heart is a garden, unforgiveness is the weed that strangles everything else. It takes up the mental and emotional soil that Joy and Peace need to thrive. Forgiving someone doesn't mean you have to invite them to dinner; it means you are handing the "invoice" over to God and saying, "I’m not going to spend my life trying to get paid back for this." As soon as you stop being the collector, you become the recipient of a much greater grace. You "forgive as the Lord forgave you," and in that rhythm, you finally find your own breath again.

Wonder Prompt (Actionable Reflection)

Think of a name that, when it pops up in your mind, causes your heart to tighten or your jaw to clench.

• Action: Visualize a literal cord connecting your heart to that memory. Now, imagine yourself taking the "Scissors of Grace" and snipping it. Say: "I release you from the debt you owe me. I am no longer your prisoner." * Shift: Notice the "WOW" of the lightness that follows when you realize you no longer have to carry the burden of being the judge.

• Prayer: "Lord, thank You for Your incredible forgiveness toward me. Today, I choose to forgive [Name/Situation]. I hand the debt to You. Cleanse my heart of bitterness and fill the empty space with Your love. Amen."