Forgiveness is hard. Martin Luther King Jr says it’s a constant attitude, not just an occasional act. Easier said than done!

Forgiveness can be like a river that has been blocked for years. Blocked by the debris of hurt, bitterness, resentment, self-righteousness and pain that's built up over time. The water grows stagnant and cloudy, but something happens when we choose forgiveness. It’s like pulling away the debris and allowing the water to rush forward clear again. The release is powerful and overwhelming as all the pent-up emotions surge. But as the water flows freely, it brings life and carves a new path, representing the renewal and growth that forgiveness brings.

Through Philemon, we will see the necessity of forgiveness. We will work through the wreckage of relationships and consider the ways our broken hearts can be restored. We need forgiveness in order to flourish and without it, we can live stagnant and stale.

This isn’t a self-help series, this is the way of Jesus. May forgiveness flow freely.