A Prayer for Forgiveness at the Start of a New Year
A new year can be a useful moment to examine unresolved resentment. This prayer asks for freedom from bitterness while recognizing that forgiveness and reconciliation are not always identical.
Merciful God, show me where resentment has taken root in me. Help me move toward forgiveness without pretending that harm was acceptable. Give me wisdom to distinguish forgiveness from immediate trust or unsafe reconciliation. Where I owe an apology, give me humility to offer it. Where I have been wounded, begin healing what bitterness has hardened. Let this year be marked by greater freedom, truth, and grace.
Amen.
Scripture: Ephesians 4:31-32 Colossians 3:13