#Stand:UnEncumbered

By: Kolleen Lucariello

When I bump up against someone—whether it’s a comment that felt like an insult, a careless action that stings, or even an intentional act meant to wound—something inside of me gets snagged, reminding me of my favorite gray sweater, the one covered in little snags from years of wear. It doesn’t take much for me to find a new loop on that sweater, and honestly, some days, it doesn’t take much for my heart to catch on the unexpected, either. A word, a look, a tone, and suddenly I feel pulled like a loose thread waiting to unravel; snagged by offense.

And just like my sweater, if I keep “wearing” that snag without tending to it, it doesn’t magically disappear. It stretches. It distorts. It grows. And if it’s left unattended long enough, that tiny snag begins to unravel into something much bigger: bitterness, resentment, distance, or even a damaged relationship. The longer it’s left alone, the harder it is to restore.

Unforgiveness works the very same way. A fresh offense is like a fresh snag—small, noticeable, inconvenient, but fixable if we address it quickly. I imagine this is why Paul added forgiveness to his list of appropriate spiritual attire in his letter to the Colossian church. While acknowledging grievances will occur, he also reminds us to make allowances for each other’s faults. That’s not always easy to do, is it? He understood that we would bump up against one another, irritate, and disappoint each other. But then he tells us to forgive in the same way Christ forgave us—swiftly, generously, completely. And that can easily be missed in the moment, too.

He must have known that if we don’t tend to those small moments, they begin to stretch into something heavier: bitterness that quietly spreads and, if left unchecked, creeps into everything we touch—affecting our heart, mind, soul, and relationships. Or resentment that stiffens our hearts toward others. It might be the distance that slowly unravels trust. Whatever it is, before we know it, the snag becomes a hole—one that tears at our peace, our relationships, and even our ability to love freely.

I was reminded of this in a very real way recently when my eighty-six-year-old mother was hospitalized with aspiration pneumonia. We were told to prepare for the possibility that she was in her final days on this side of heaven. During the long days and hours, I found myself snagged by the pain of old wounds I thought had long been repaired. I was snagged by my own emotion and by the emotion of others. I encountered a crisis—and crisis has a way of revealing what’s been hiding deep within. Those moments expose places where unforgiveness is tucked away, unnoticed … until pressure tugs on them. I realized I had been encumbered by some unforgiveness, and it was hampering my ability to function in my Christ-given identity.

Unforgiveness had tied me to my past instead of allowing me to move forward. It caused me to carry heavy emotional baggage that made it difficult to stop rehearsing old pain or press play on peace. It also distorted my view of those who had caused the wounds. Rather than seeing them through Christ’s eyes, unforgiveness kept me focused on the wounded lens of offense. I began labeling people by what they did instead of recognizing them by who God says they are. Ouch.

And then—because God's timing is always perfect—it was time for me to write the intro blog to our December teaching. As I reviewed this month’s content, I felt another convicting tug. Paul’s instruction to “forgive as the Lord forgave you,” pointing me straight back to the cross. In Jesus' final hours, He was betrayed by a friend, abandoned by His closest ones, beaten, mocked, falsely accused, and nailed to a cross. Yet, as He hung there, His words were: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

In His most painful moment, when He was snagged and pierced by the weight of humanity’s sin, Jesus chose forgiveness. He didn’t let the wounds unravel His mission. He pardoned us—every. single. one. Completely. Undeservedly. Freely. That’s the forgiveness Paul is calling us to extend.

So when I’m snagged by emotion that pulls on a loose thread and reveals there’s still a bit of unforgiveness within, Psalm 103:12 reminds me: If God has removed our debts as far as the east is from the west, shouldn’t I extend the same grace to others? (NIV).

This is where our #StandUnencumbered teaching meets real life—not as a concept, but as an invitation. God was showing me: You can’t stand freely if you’re still carrying the weight of unforgiveness. Snags left unattended entangle your heart and steal your peace. Bitterness and resentment can silently spread, like threads unraveling a sweater, until the very fabric of your life—your joy, your relationships, your ability to love—begins to fray.

But when you choose to forgive—really forgive—you begin to pull those threads back into place. You release the offense, untangle the snag, and make space for grace, peace, and freedom to flow. Standing unencumbered isn’t about pretending the hurt didn’t happen or ignoring the sting. It’s about letting Christ’s forgiveness flow through you, repairing the snags before they grow into holes, and trusting Him to restore what’s been damaged.

In practical terms, it means pausing when offense rises, acknowledging the pain, and choosing to let it go instead of letting it grow. It’s a daily, intentional act of placing your heart in God’s hands, aligning your perspective with His, and walking forward in freedom. When you forgive as Christ forgave you, you don’t just mend relationships—you protect your heart from being ensnared by the past. You can move freely, love deeply, and stand unencumbered, clothed in the fullness of God’s grace.

This month, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, let's take the time to identify the “snags” in our own hearts—those places where unforgiveness, resentment, or bitterness have quietly taken hold. Ask God to show you where you’ve been holding on to old offenses, and then take the courageous step to release them. Forgive as Christ forgave you, even when it feels difficult or undeserved. As you do, watch how freedom begins to flow, relationships begin to heal, and your heart becomes lighter. Standing unencumbered isn’t a one-time decision—it’s a daily choice to let God’s grace untangle the threads of offense and weave His peace back into your life.

Come join the conversation and choose to #StandUnencumbered. It just might bring new life to the time you spend with your loved ones this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, friends.