This weekend we opened our new series called Closer by looking at one of the biggest barriers that keeps us from feeling close to God. All of us want a real relationship with him, yet Jesus teaches that unforgiveness can quietly block our hearts in ways we may not realize. Through the story of the unforgiving servant, we were reminded that God has already forgiven a debt we could never repay, and that releasing others is part of the freedom he wants for us. Forgiveness is not pretending the hurt never happened. It is choosing to let go, trusting God with the pain, and stepping into the kind of life where nothing stands between us and him. As we move into this Christmas season, we’re invited to receive God’s forgiveness in a fresh way and extend it to others so that we can grow closer to his heart.