Unforgiveness, bitterness, pride, even disappointment have the ability to rot the bones of man (see Proverbs 14:30).

When you find yourself in a position where you could easily point an accusing finger—or have an accusing finger pointed at you—think, trust, and forgive.

Never write people off for making a mistake! God does not work this way, and neither should we.

Will we be perfect at it? Of course not. Disputes arise. That's part of being human. But that's what offering and seeking forgiveness are for: restoring the love that God wants between our family and us. Is there someone you need to seek forgiveness from or offer forgiveness to today?

Don't let the hurts, disappointments, and regrets of the past cripple your present or define your future. Forgive.

Forgiveness as the response to the inevitability of failure. Suffering understood as part of life. Trust as the other side of anguish. A permanent thankfulness.

Therefore, in the presence of my dear family, in the presence of my Church, and in the presence of the imagined communion of my readers, I have told this story in the hope of forgiveness, and as a promise.

Biblical unity is about working through conflicts, avoiding slander and gossip, and being generous in spirit. It is giving each other the benefit of the doubt, distributing ample doses of grace in the midst of our sin and imperfection, and demonstrating fierce loyalty.

Unforgiveness, resentment, and bitterness can give an excuse for demonic activity to remain in a life. With a cleansed heart, and with confession and forgiveness, a person can be set free from even the most insidious intrusion.

Mark 3:25: "And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

Given the impossibility of not failing one another, when the Bible says, "We all stumble in many ways," the only way forward in loving community with one another is forgiveness.

In our homes, where we work, in our friendships, we come inevitably to a fork in the road where we must decide, "Will I forgive that?" If the answer is yes, we go forward together in love. If we choose "no, I will not forgive," at that point we will tend to amplify the fault we observe to excuse our withdrawal into bitterness. Everyone loses—and the gospel most of all.