Forgiveness Doesn't Mean Access

September 23, 2026 Ephesians 4:26-27 Let it go.

That has been sitting with me since Sunday, and I heard it again last night and even said it out loud.

Forgive them. Release the offense. Stop carrying what happened. But don’t confuse forgiveness with access.

Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to pretend they didn’t hurt you. It doesn’t mean trust is automatically restored. And it doesn’t always mean the relationship returns to what it was.

You can forgive and still use wisdom.

You can release the anger and still have boundaries.

You can love people and recognize they may no longer belong in the same space they once occupied.

God doesn’t want bitterness taking root in us, but forgiveness doesn’t require us to ignore what we’ve learned. Read that again.

Let go of the offense without letting go of the wisdom you gained from it.

Ephesians 4:26-27 - Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.