Pastoral Messages by Matriarch Elnette Edwards
My dear ones,
Today I want to talk to you about forgiveness, and I need you to hear me with your whole heart, because this might be the most important message, I ever share with you. Unforgiveness will destroy you faster than the offense that wounded you.
I know this because I’ve lived it. Years ago, someone I trusted deeply betrayed me in a way that shattered my world. The details don’t matter now, but the devastation was real. I was angry—no, I was furious. I felt justified in my bitterness. They had wronged me, and I had every right to hold onto that hurt, to replay it, to let it fuel my resentment.
For months, I carried that unforgiveness like a badge of honor. But what I thought was protecting me was actually poisoning me. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t pray without that person’s face intruding on my thoughts. I couldn’t worship without feeling the anger rise up. My unforgiveness wasn’t hurting them—it was destroying me.
One night, broken and exhausted, I cried out to God: “How do I forgive this? It’s too big, too deep, too painful.” And in that quiet moment, He whispered to my spirit: “Remember how much I’ve forgiven you.” That truth wrecked me in the best way. When I considered the magnitude of God’s forgiveness toward me—all my sins, my rebellion, my failures—how could I withhold forgiveness from another imperfect human being?
Let me be clear: forgiveness doesn’t mean what they did was okay. It doesn’t mean you trust them again immediately. It doesn’t mean there are no consequences for their actions. It doesn’t mean you put yourself back in harm’s way. Forgiveness is about releasing them from the debt you believe they owe you and trusting God to be the judge.
Forgiveness is rarely a one-time event. Some hurts are so deep that you have to choose forgiveness repeatedly—sometimes daily, sometimes hourly—until one day you realize the grip of bitterness has loosened and you’re finally free.
The process often requires help. You might need a counselor to work through trauma. You might need your prayer partner to hold you accountable when you want to slip back into bitterness. You might need time—and that’s okay. Forgiveness is a journey, not a destination.
But here’s the beautiful truth: forgiveness sets you free. It releases you from the prison of past pain. It opens your heart to receive God’s peace. It allows you to move forward into the future He has for you instead of remaining chained to the past.
If you’re holding unforgiveness today, I’m inviting you—no, I’m begging you—to release it. Not for their sake, but for yours. Choose freedom. Choose peace. Choose to forgive and watch how God transforms your heart and your life.
Freed by forgiveness,
Matriarch Elnette Edwards
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