We live in a society that hates to let things go and forgive.

You cut me off in traffic, and I’m beyond annoyed. Someone takes too long in the checkout line… a post on Facebook disparages my point of view and I feel personally attacked… the waitress has an attitude I dislike… a person whose opinion shouldn’t matter makes a remark that chafes me… and the snowball of unforgiveness grows and grows. Bitterness festers, cynicism rises up on the inside.

Before too long, we bring that attitude home. Our kids don’t wake up with the right spirit and it just chaps us the wrong way. Our spouse didn’t appreciate our efforts at home. Our family members are acting out of sorts and we treat them with the same behavior. Someone is being a little “snappy”, and we let it ruin our mood.

“If they’re going to act like that… they can come crawling back and ask for my forgiveness when they straighten out that attitude!”

A lot of the time, they’re the ones straightened up after a few minutes, but we are all bent out of shape and our spirit is affected adversely. And the snowball of resentfulness and unforgiveness continues to grow…

Inevitably, something big is going to happen that will require some truly, Christlike, Spirit-led behavior. Something that requires REAL forgiveness and restoration. But we will be too full of pride and bitterness from all the weeks, months, and years of not forgiving and learning to let things go. Where we should set the shining example of God’s love and forgiveness, we stand in need of forgiveness ourselves. We wasted every opportunity we were given on the daily to practice the right approach to humbly extending grace where needed. And now, we have no desire to forgive, and our hearts are so far from where they need to be so that God can pour forgiveness through us.

What a mess we find ourselves in?! Hurt. Wronged. Angry. And unable to start the process of forgiveness we BOTH need.

But today, what can we do to avoid the snowball of bitterness? Can we find a smile for the sales clerk with the short response? Can we calm our reactions at the stoplight? Can we love a little harder on our spouse and kids when they’re having a tough time? Could we not ask Jesus to forgive us for how we have fallen so short of the example He set when He saved our soul, and try to walk in the Spirit TODAY?

So when tomorrow comes, we are ready for those big things?