“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:31-32

Shakespeare nearly broke my back. Not the man, of course, but thebook. In college, I was required to haul around this behemoth that held every word the man ever wrote. I am not exaggerating when I say it weighed more than a cast iron skillet.

I spent weeks dragging it around campus. My back was aching. My shoulders were sore, and eventually, it broke the metal fastener on my bookbag.

It got me thinking about the things we carry. Sure, a bookbag breaking is no big deal, but what about the emotional weight we drag through life? Those grudges we hold, those deep hurts we refuse to let go of—they are far heavier.

And unlike a book, they do not sit quietly in a corner. They grow heavier the longer we carry them, pulling us down, sapping our joy, and making everything harder.

God has a better way, though. Forgiveness, I have found, sounds like such a simple word, but it can feel like climbing a mountain barefoot. It takes time, especially when the pain cuts deep. But little by little, letting go of those burdens lightens the load.

And choosing freedom over bitterness, my friend, is worth it.

So, what about you? Is there something you have been carrying around that you are not meant to hold anymore? You were never made to live weighed down. It is time to let it go, piece by piece, and let God carry the rest. You might be surprised how light life feels when your hands—and your heart—are free.