The Freedom Found in Forgiveness ... Unpacking the Message of Matthew 6:15
- Anthony Speciale
- Oct 28
- 10 min read
Updated: Oct 30
Greetings,
The Freedom Found in Forgiveness 🌿
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:15,
“But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Unpacking the Message of Matthew 6:15
When we read the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:15 — “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” — we are confronted with one of the most challenging, yet liberating, truths of the Gospel. Forgiveness is not simply a suggestion from Christ; it is a command that reveals the condition of our hearts and the depth of our understanding of God’s mercy. It invites us to look honestly at how we receive and extend grace — because the way we forgive others reflects how deeply we’ve embraced the forgiveness we ourselves have received from God.
To truly grasp this verse, we must first remember that Jesus isn’t speaking from a place of judgment, but from love. His desire is not to condemn us for our struggles with forgiveness, but to draw us closer to the heart of God — a heart that is full of compassion, mercy, and grace. When we withhold forgiveness, it’s as though we build a wall between ourselves and that mercy. Not because God’s forgiveness has ceased to exist, but because our hearts become too hardened to receive it. Unforgiveness closes the door to peace, joy, and spiritual growth, and Jesus wants that door wide open.
Think for a moment about what unforgiveness does to the soul. It starts as a justified wound — “They hurt me. They don’t deserve my forgiveness.” But over time, that wound festers into bitterness, resentment, and even spiritual paralysis. It poisons our peace and isolates us from the very presence of God that we long for. When we refuse to forgive, we hold onto a debt that we were never meant to collect. And in doing so, we forget that we were once debtors ourselves — forgiven freely and fully through the blood of Christ.
Forgiveness is not saying that what someone did was right. It’s not pretending the hurt didn’t happen. It’s releasing the burden into God’s hands — trusting that He is just, that He sees, and that He can heal what we cannot. It’s a surrender. Forgiveness says, “Lord, I choose to let go of my right to hold this person hostage in my heart, because I refuse to live in bondage myself.” That’s the paradox of forgiveness — when we release others, it’s our own hearts that are set free.
Jesus modeled this kind of radical forgiveness perfectly. Hanging on the cross, in excruciating pain, betrayed, abandoned, and mocked, He still looked to heaven and prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He didn’t wait for His offenders to apologize. He didn’t demand restitution. He forgave out of love — a love that breaks every chain and transforms every heart it touches. When we forgive, we participate in that same redemptive power. We reflect the very nature of Christ.
The Speciale Foundation
Maximal Productivity Accompanied By The Utmost Generosity
Worshiping Jesus ✝️ Loving People ❤️ Serving Others
The Speciale Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to serving others in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Rooted in faith and guided by His teachings, our mission is to restore hope, uphold personal dignity, and empower individuals by meeting their basic needs.
We are committed to providing essential resources, compassionate support, and practical solutions to those facing hardships.
By fostering a spirit of love, service, and community, we strive to help individuals reclaim their sense of worth and pursue lives filled with purpose and pride.
Through Christ-centered action and unwavering dedication, The Speciale Foundation seeks to be a beacon of light, transforming lives and glorifying God through every act of service.
Your one time or monthly reoccurring tax deductible donation will be
100% employed to directly serving others in the name of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - Thank You and God Bless!
NOTE: Charity founders will match your one time
and/or monthly reoccurring donations, Dollar for Dollar.
Anna, Brian and myself are excited to provide medical relief to a hard working young man who has fallen ill. At the same time he cares for his elderly, disabled parents - all while refusing to file for disability ... continuing to work through the misery he's living.
"As I got to know Tolly, I felt God put it on my heart to do what we're called to for him."
Our faithful and gracious donors have helped make ALL this possible!!!
🙏🏻 God Bless & Thank You For All Your Support 🙏🏻
But forgiveness is not always instantaneous. Sometimes, it’s a daily decision — a prayer you whisper again and again until your heart begins to soften. It’s choosing, with God’s help, to walk in grace even when the pain lingers. The Holy Spirit works in that process. Each time you choose to forgive, you loosen the grip of bitterness and make more room for the presence of God. And eventually, that choice becomes freedom.
When Jesus ties our forgiveness to the way we forgive others, He is not giving us a transactional equation — He is describing the natural flow of grace. If we are truly filled with the love of God, forgiveness will flow out of us. If we are unwilling to forgive, it means we have not yet grasped how much we’ve been forgiven. It’s not punishment; it’s perspective. The forgiven become forgivers. The redeemed become redeemers. The loved become lovers of others, even when they don’t deserve it.
Imagine what would happen if the Church lived this truth daily. If believers forgave quickly, prayed for their enemies, blessed those who wronged them, and chose reconciliation over retaliation. The world would see a reflection of heaven — a community where mercy triumphs over judgment. Forgiveness is one of the clearest ways we can demonstrate the Kingdom of God on earth, because it breaks the cycle of hurt and replaces it with healing.
This verse, then, is both an invitation and a warning. Jesus calls us to examine our hearts. Is there someone we’ve been holding in unforgiveness? A parent, a friend, a co-worker, even ourselves? God doesn’t want us to carry that weight another day. The same grace that washed away our sins is available to wash away the bitterness, too. He’s asking us to trust Him enough to let go — to forgive not because they deserve it, but because He deserves our obedience, and because our freedom depends on it.
When you forgive, you release heaven’s power into your life. You make room for peace, restoration, and joy to enter. You align yourself with the nature of your Heavenly Father. And you allow His forgiveness to flow more freely into every corner of your soul. So today, let this verse remind you: forgiveness isn’t weakness. It’s strength. It’s faith in action. It’s the proof that you’ve been transformed by love — the love of a God who forgave you first, and who calls you to extend that same grace to others.
May you walk in that freedom today — not bound by the offenses of others, but carried by the mercy of the One who set you free.
Experience The Speciale Analysis Difference Today
Studying Market Analysis And Trading LIVE Since 2010
Elevating Others To Their Highest Potential Since 2020
A prominent verse related to generational stewardship of money is Proverbs 13:22, which states, "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children."
This verse suggests that part of being a good steward of wealth includes planning for the future and ensuring the well-being of future generations of kingdom builders.
This verse is often cited in discussions about financial planning and legacy, it's important to remember that the Bible also emphasizes the importance of giving to those in need and being content with what one has, rather than accumulating wealth for its own sake.
The focus should be on using resources wisely and for God's glory first and foremost, NOT simply leaving a large sum of generational money.
My mission is to serve followers of Christ through helping them become builders of His kingdom. Trading is NOT a get rich scheme, rather it's a skillset that when applied from the perspective of stewarding God's wealth and will first, proves to be incredibly fulfilling!
Contact me today for your FREE trading consultation: info@specialeanalysis.com
Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Are you a Kingdom Builder for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
If so, I'd like to send you the MASTER PLAN of the Speciale Analysis 2-Timeframe Signature Setup 100% FREE + 3 BONUSES!
A detailed list broken down that you'll easily understand and find invaluable to your day and/or swing trading!
BONUS #1: 20+ minutes on setting up your chart to see what we look at LIVE every morning from 0800 - 1100 ET.
BONUS #2: a checklist containing 23 specific attributes of what it takes to become a consistent, disciplined and profitable trader.
BONUS #3: A one-on-one LIVE (ZOOM) consultation where I'll answer all of your questions, helping you decide if trading aligns with your mindset, personality and lifestyle.
Simply send me an email at: info@specialeanalysis.com for your FREE, No Obligation ACCESS to TRAINING CONTENT and 3 BONUSES!
Here’s our 7-day journaling plan designed to help you walk deeply through the message of Matthew 6:15 — living a life of daily forgiveness, grace, and freedom.
🌅 Daily Opening Prayer – Before Journaling
Heavenly Father, I come before You with an open heart, ready to receive Your truth and grace. You know the wounds I carry — the pain, the resentment, and the things I’ve struggled to let go of. Today, I invite Your Holy Spirit to search me and guide me into freedom. Teach me what it means to forgive as You have forgiven me. Soften my heart where it’s hardened, open my eyes where they’ve been closed, and help me walk in love instead of judgment. I trust that through this time of reflection, You will do a healing work within me that only You can do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 1: The Weight of Unforgiveness
Theme: Recognizing the burden that unforgiveness places on your heart.
Reflection Prompt: Is there someone you’ve struggled to forgive? Write honestly about how that unforgiveness has affected your peace, your prayer life, or your relationship with God.
Scripture Support: Hebrews 12:15 – “See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
Journaling Thought: Ask the Lord to reveal where unforgiveness may be hindering your spiritual growth.
Day 2: Remembering Your Own Forgiveness
Theme: Reflecting on the grace you’ve received from God.
Reflection Prompt: Think back on a time when God forgave you for something that weighed heavily on your conscience. How did His mercy change you?
Scripture Support: Ephesians 1:7 – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
Journaling Thought: Write a prayer of gratitude for God’s forgiveness and ask Him to help you extend that same mercy to others.
Day 3: Forgiveness as an Act of Faith
Theme: Choosing to forgive even when emotions don’t align.
Reflection Prompt: Forgiveness isn’t a feeling — it’s a faith decision. What step of forgiveness is God asking you to take by faith today?
Scripture Support: 2 Corinthians 5:7 – “For we live by faith, not by sight.”
Journaling Thought: Write a declaration of faith: “Lord, I choose to forgive [name or situation], even before I feel it.”
Day 4: Loving as Christ Loved
Theme: Extending the same love Jesus showed on the cross.
Reflection Prompt: When Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,” He was praying for those who hurt Him. Who might God be calling you to pray for instead of resent?
Scripture Support: Luke 23:34 – “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Journaling Thought: List those who’ve wronged you and pray blessings over them, one by one.
Day 5: Forgiving Yourself
Theme: Receiving God’s grace for your own failures.
Reflection Prompt: Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself. Is there guilt or regret that you’ve been holding onto?
Scripture Support: Psalm 103:12 – “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Journaling Thought: Write a letter to yourself — one filled with the same grace that God offers you.
Day 6: Reconciliation and Healing
Theme: Seeking restoration where possible.
Reflection Prompt: Forgiveness opens the door to reconciliation, though not always immediately. Is there a relationship God is prompting you to restore or reach out to?
Scripture Support: Romans 12:18 – “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Journaling Thought: Ask God for wisdom and courage to take any steps toward healing that He leads you to.
Day 7: Walking in Daily Forgiveness
Theme: Making forgiveness a lifestyle of freedom.
Reflection Prompt: How can you live out a forgiving heart daily — in your thoughts, your words, and your actions?
Scripture Support: Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance… Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Journaling Thought: End your week by writing a prayer of surrender, thanking God for freeing your heart through forgiveness and asking Him to make it your daily habit.
🌄 Daily Closing Prayer – After Journaling
Gracious Lord, Thank You for meeting me here in this quiet space. Thank You for the peace that comes when I release what was never mine to carry. I lay down my pain, my pride, and my need for control — and I pick up Your mercy, Your joy, and Your strength.
Help me to live out what You’ve shown me today. Let forgiveness flow from my life as freely as it flows from Your throne. May my words and actions reflect Your love to those around me. I rest tonight in the safety of Your grace, knowing that freedom and healing belong to me through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Closing thoughts as we pray for those reading or hearing this verse today...
Dear Beloved in Christ,
The Freedom Found in Forgiveness 🌿
Forgiveness isn’t always easy—but it’s always powerful. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:15,
“But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
These words pierce the heart because they reveal how deeply God values mercy. Forgiveness isn’t just about releasing others—it’s about releasing ourselves.
Holding onto bitterness binds the soul, but letting go opens the door to healing, peace, and restored fellowship with God.
When we forgive, we mirror the heart of Christ. We say, “Lord, Your grace toward me is too great for me to withhold it from anyone else.”
Today, ask the Lord to show you if there’s anyone you need to forgive. Pray for them. Bless them. And as you do, you’ll find that His forgiveness flows freely through you—and fills you with the joy of true freedom.
Walking in grace 🙏🏻
Be Relentless In Pursuit Of The Will
Which God Has Set Upon Your Life,
❤️ Anthony and Anna Speciale
If we can pray for you, simply respond to the email you received or you can email us directly at: TheSpecialeFoundation@gmail.com
Comments