DAY FOUR: The Last of the Spirits: The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

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Why is it that the people closest to us are so often the hardest to forgive?

Sure, according to the Proverb, love can cover a multitude of sins, but it can also feel like some wounds cut too deep to be forgiven. And the thing about the holidays is, the person you’re struggling to forgive might be sitting right across the table.

Like Scrooge on the last leg of his Christmas reckoning, this time alongside the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, the holly jolly season ahead may force us to come face-to-face with the very people who have hurt us the deepest. For Dickens’ unmerciful miser, the ones he hurt the most were those he spent his life short-changing: his servants now looting his house, poor old Bob Cratchit, and his nephew Frederick.

Who in your life has caused similar scars to the ones Scrooge etched?

Maybe it’s a parent whose actions broke your family apart.

A friend choosing selfishness over friendship.

A child walking down a destructive path.

Hurt runs deep, especially when it’s inflicted by the people in our lives who are supposed to love us. Incredibly, those Scrooge wounded the most—Frederick and Bob Cratchit—chose not to hold onto bitterness and instead forgave this man who had wronged them at every turn. In doing so, they showed Scrooge the power mercy can hold—how it frees not only the wrongdoer but also the person who was wronged.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy, right? (Matthew 5:7). Forgiving those who have hurt us lets them off our emotional hook—and lightens our emotional baggage. We set them loose, refuse to let them live rent-free in our heads, and as a result, free not only them but ourselves.

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Jesus is the perfect example of showing mercy and practicing forgiveness towards people who don’t deserve it—namely you and me! And he asks us to do the same, even when it’s far from easy.

“So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you” (James 2:12-13). When done authentically, forgiveness brings freedom—a freedom that satisfies more than holding a grudge ever could. Who are you being called to forgive this Christmas? Chances are they’re just a trip down the hall or a phone call away. Will you go there?

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Day 4 Question: Forgiveness is such a difficult thing to practice, made even harder when the person who hurt us is a family member or close friend. Who do you need to forgive this Christmas season? What’s one step you can take today to extend mercy to them and find freedom for yourself?

For Reflection Colossians 3:12-17

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Jump into the world of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol by listening to episode 1 of the companion podcast on The Bridge Podcast Network here! 

Do you have questions about Jesus? Please explore our CONNECT TO JESUS video and resources on The Bridge. 

Additional Scrooge Resources:

• 
  Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast

  Be entertained and inspired by a fresh retelling of the Christmas classic. You know the story of A Christmas Carol, but you’ve never heard it like this. Get drawn into the powerful story of forgiveness and redemption in this all-new audio experience starring Hollywood pros like Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, and Juliet Mills.

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  Be a Scrooge - Sermon Series Guide

  This Christmas, discover the transformative power of Jesus through the unlikely story of Ebenezer Scrooge. In this three-week sermon series, we'll explore the biblical themes of redemption, forgiveness, and hope found in A Christmas

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Worship Playlist

  Worship ministry ideas to accompany Be a Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Sermon Series. Songs that invite your congregation into a journey of heart transformation, much like Scrooge’s, moving from a place of darkness and despair into the light of grace, renewal, and celebration.

• 
  Be A Scrooge - Children's Sunday School Guide

  Four complete Sunday School lessons to share scripture for life with young people through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

• 
  Be a Scrooge - Family Discussion Guide

  Three weeks of guided family discussion and application of scripture to life, through the lense of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

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  Be A Scrooge - Family Activity Pack

  This fun Family Activity Guide will help you make the most of the podcast experience. Each of the four Scrooge episodes has an interactive object lesson to guide your family into meaningful discussions through fun activities.