Weekday Word w/ Eric

Category: Uncategorized

  • Selfish Reasons to Forgive

    Scripture: Hebrews 12:15 (CEB) — “Watch out… so that no bitterness takes root and harms many people.” ReflectionForgiveness is spiritual—but it’s also practical. Hebrews warns that bitterness is not a private emotion; it’s a root system. Left alone, it spreads. It seeps into tone of voice, relationships, parenting, leadership, friendships. It doesn’t stay neatly contained…

  • Don’t Let the Offense Write the Ending

    Scripture: Romans 12:21 (CEB) — “Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.” ReflectionOne of the quiet lies of unforgiveness is this: What they did gets the final word. The offense becomes the headline, the identity, the center. It shapes the way we see people, trust relationships, and interpret the world. Even when…

  • Your Body Keeps the Score—So Let Grace In

    Scripture: Proverbs 14:30 (CEB) — “A peaceful heart gives life to the body…” ReflectionForgiveness isn’t only spiritual—it’s physical. When we rehearse an old hurt, our bodies often react as if the offense is happening all over again. Tight chest, clenched jaw, racing thoughts, restless sleep. Bitterness doesn’t just live in the mind; it takes up…

  • Forgiveness is Not What You Think

    Romans 12:19 (CEB) — “Don’t try to get even… Instead, leave room for God’s wrath.” ReflectionA major barrier to receiving God’s forgiveness is confusion about what forgiveness actually means. If forgiveness means pretending it didn’t matter, staying in danger, or letting people walk all over you—then of course our hearts resist it. We don’t reject forgiveness…

  • Open Heart, Open Hands

    Scripture: Matthew 6:14 (CEB) — “If you forgive others their mistakes, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” ReflectionAt first glance, Jesus can sound like he’s issuing a threat: Forgive, or God won’t forgive you. But Jesus isn’t describing a bargaining chip in God’s hand—he’s describing a danger in ours. An unforgiving heart becomes a…

  • A Clenched Heart That Can’t Receive

    Matthew 6:14 (CEB) — “If you forgive others their mistakes, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” ReflectionThis verse can sound like a threat, but it’s often better understood as a diagnosis. A heart clenched in unforgiveness struggles to receive forgiveness—not because God is stingy, but because bitterness tightens the soul. When our inner life is…

  • Forgiveness Doesn’t Make It OK

    Scripture: Psalm 103:8 (CEB) — “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, very patient, and full of faithful love.” ReflectionFor many, the barrier isn’t guilt—it’s pain. If you have been harmed, forgiveness can sound like someone asking you to pretend it didn’t matter. “Just forgive” can feel like spiritual pressure to silence your own story. And if that’s…

  • For Fear of Exposure and Consequences

    Scripture: Romans 8:1 (CEB) — “So now there isn’t any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” ReflectionA major barrier to receiving forgiveness is fear: If I accept God’s forgiveness, what happens next? Some people avoid grace because they assume it will force immediate exposure, consequences, or conversations they’re not ready to have. Forgiveness…

  • Vague Confession, Vague Comfort

    1 John 1:9 (CEB) — “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive…” ReflectionSometimes we don’t receive God’s forgiveness because we won’t get specific. We confess “mistakes” and “shortcomings,” but never name the real thing. Vagueness feels safer. It keeps us from facing ourselves—and from believing anyone could truly forgive what we’ve…

  • The Performance Trap

    Scripture: Psalm 103:10 (CEB) — “He doesn’t deal with us according to our sin or repay us according to our wrongdoing.” ReflectionOne of the biggest barriers to receiving God’s forgiveness is the belief that forgiveness must be earned. We may never say it out loud, but we live it: I’ll accept grace once I’ve done…