Revelation 16:9,11

They did not repent or give him glory.

They did not repent of what they had been doing.

It does not go well for those who refuse to turn from their ways which go against the Creator of the universe.

The more acts you commit in a certain direction, the more locked onto a path for which eventually there may be no return—like driving on a road going up a mountain in which the road gets narrower and narrower, sheet of rock straight up on one side of the car, cliffs straight down on the other. The higher you go, the narrower the road, and at some point it will become impossible to turn around.

There are the big and obvious sins that most of us know to stay away from, but what about the more subtle and more easily justifiable wrongs?

Like maybe bitterness towards someone.

The more you nurture those ill thoughts of someone whenever you think of them, the harder it gets to turn it around and think purely of them.

The single best thing you can do in that situation is pray for that person. Not only is that just good (and commanded of us), but it really does change your heart towards someone, making it possible to love them, even if it’s that “impossible family member” with whom you absolutely disagree. You will be able to have a spirit of forgiveness towards them.

Now remember, forgiveness does not always mean there is reconciliation. There are situations in which you may not be able to ever have a healthy relationship with someone for various reasons. But you can always pray for them, and cultivate a soft heart towards them.

Be careful and check yourself to see if there are any habits you’ve formed–of thought, of action—that are locking you in to a place from which it is getting more and more difficult to turn around.