Once upon a time…
There was a beauty named Snow White. We all know the well-known Disney adaptation of the Grimms’ Fairy Tale story, right? The evil queen (also Snow White’s stepmother) became envious and angry because the magic mirror on the wall admitted that Snow White, at the age of seven, was the “fairest one of all.” The queen orders a huntsman to take Snow White to the woods and get rid of her. He doesn’t have the heart to harm her, so he leaves her in the forest where she lives as a housemaid for the seven dwarfs. Ten years later, the evil queen makes multiple attempts to take Snow White’s life and finally succeeds by disguising herself as an old farmer’s wife. She shares a poisoned apple with Snow White causing her to fall into a deep coma. The dwarfs place her in a glass coffin for her funeral and upon hearing the story, a Prince who is in the forest hunting, takes her away for a proper burial at her father’s castle. During the transport of her body, one of the Prince’s servants trip, shaking the coffin and dislodging the piece of apple in Snow White’s throat. She wakes up, falls in love at first sight with the Prince, they get married, and the plans of the evil queen are finally destroyed as the queen is ordered to wear a blazing hot pair of iron slippers and dance in them until she dies.
Maybe I’m becoming more sensitive as I get older, but is anyone else reading this synopsis wondering how we all turned out okay watching such traumatic movies as children?
Hebrews 12:15b (TPT) says, “And make sure no one lives with a root of bitterness sprouting within them which will only cause trouble and poison the hearts of many.”
What began as vanity and competition in the heart of the evil queen quickly became bitterness and resentment. As it grew inside her heart, it developed into hatred and malice toward Snow White and eventually led to her evil scheme to eliminate Snow White’s existence.
“But this is just a fairy tale,” you say? No, my friends. This is also a reality.
The Bible tells us in John 10:10 that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. If he can plant a tiny little seed of bitterness in us and we fail to recognize it, we will wake up one day with unmanaged anger and rage, wondering to ourselves, “where is this coming from?” You see, that bitterness doesn’t only seek to destroy our life, but all those closest to us as well. If the enemy can get us to lash out at others causing hurt and relational distance, or spread bitterness to others by gossiping, he can also grip their heart as our friends link arms with unforgiveness that was originally never even their burden to carry.
May we never allow resentment a seat at the table of our hearts. I understand. I’ve also been lied to. I’ve been hurt. I’ve been betrayed. I’ve been misunderstood. I’ve been taken advantage of. But at the end of the day, the only person I am hurting by carrying the weight of these offenses is myself.
The choice is mine and the choice is yours.
We can give these things space in our heart and remain a victim or we can take back what the enemy has stolen from us by choosing forgiveness. Is it easy? No. Is it simple? Yes, it is.
When we allow Jesus to make His throne on our heart and replace all of our past hurts and disappointments, we become empowered to walk in love.
We are empowered to walk in forgiveness.
We are empowered to walk in peace.
We are empowered to walk in kindness.
And we are empowered to walk in joy.
So friends, I have a question. Is there someone you need to forgive today? I encourage you to take that step. Choose to forgive those who have offended you and release them from any judgment you hold in your heart against them. When you do, you will find that simple act brings such freedom to your life. I’d love to hear your freedom story.
