Unforgiveness & Division
Holding on to hurt, resentment, or anger can feel understandable — especially when someone has deeply wounded you. But when forgiveness doesn’t come, those feelings can build walls in your heart and create distance in your most important relationships. You may find yourself replaying past wounds, avoiding people, or struggling to let go of how you were wronged. Unforgiveness doesn’t just affect the other person — it shapes your own peace, energy, and ability to love fully.
Spiritually, division grows when forgiveness is withheld and reconciliation is avoided. God calls us into unity, not uniformity, and into peace that heals rather than separates. The gospel doesn’t ignore pain or pretend reconciliation is easy, but it offers a way forward through the grace Jesus extends to broken hearts. In Him, forgiveness becomes possible not as a forced emotion, but as a heart-level practice of trust in God’s justice, mercy, and healing. You don’t have to hold onto the hurt — Jesus meets you in that struggle and invites you into restoration.
See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
— HEBREWS 12:15
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
— COLOSSIANS 3:13
Resources for Helping with Unforgiveness & Division
If I Fail to Forgive Others, Will God Not Forgive Me?
A Desiring God interview with John Piper addressing whether God’s forgiveness toward us is affected by our willingness to forgive…
Forgiveness
A BibleProject podcast episode unpacking Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness from Matthew 18 and exploring what it means to forgive and…
The Peacemaker
A trusted Christian classic by Ken Sande that offers biblical principles for resolving conflict, restoring relationships, and pursuing peace through…
Explore Practices to Help with Forgiveness & Unity
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An Invitation to Join Us @ Sonrise
At Sonrise Church, we believe real life change happens when people encounter Jesus, walk in truth, and grow together in community. You are welcome here—no matter your past, your struggles, or where you’re starting from. Join us this Sunday to take your next step toward freedom and formation with us. Jesus changes everything.
Sonrise Church
Service Times:
- Sunday : 9:00 AM (1st Service)
- Sunday : 10:40 AM (2nd Service)
At Sonrise Church in Santee, CA, we recognize how deeply unforgiveness can take root in your life — shaping your thoughts, relationships, and sense of peace. In East County San Diego, many people wrestle with past wounds, lingering resentment, and the fear of vulnerability that comes with forgiveness. Sonrise Church offers compassionate teaching and community rooted in Scripture that helps you explore what it means to let go of hurt, open your heart to healing, and walk toward unity with others through God’s grace.
In Santee, El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lakeside, our church family gathers to support one another in the journey from division toward restoration — learning how reconciliation and peace aren’t just ideals, but lived realities through the power of the gospel. Jesus invites you into a life where forgiveness becomes a doorway to freedom, not a burden to bear alone. If you’re longing for relational healing and a heart shaped by grace, Sonrise Church in East County San Diego is a place to take your next steps with others walking the same path of faith.
Come discover how the gospel brings healing to fractured relationships and peace that lasts.