Why Unforgiveness Keeps You Stuck (Matthew 6:9–14) - Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt

Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt

Episode: Why Unforgiveness Keeps You Stuck (Matthew 6:9–14)
Host: Madison Prewett Troutt
Date: May 14, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the spiritual and emotional power of forgiveness, examining why unforgiveness keeps people stuck and how embracing forgiveness leads to true freedom. Madison Prewett Troutt draws from Matthew 6:9–14 (The Lord’s Prayer) and Mark 11:24–26 to highlight biblical principles and offers real-life guidance on practicing forgiveness in daily life. The episode moves from biblical context to deeply practical advice and a guided prayer exercise.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Scriptural Foundation of Forgiveness

The Lord’s Prayer and Forgiveness
- Madison reads Matthew 6:9–14, focusing on the verses about forgiving “our debtors” and Jesus’ explicit teaching that forgiveness is a prerequisite for being forgiven by God.
- Quote:
  
  “Jesus ends with that very strong statement in 14. He says, 'If you forgive others, then I'll forgive you.'” — Madison (02:05)
Forgiveness’s Central Role in the Christian Life
- Madison stresses that forgiveness is mandatory for followers of Jesus—not optional.
- Quote:
  
  “Forgiveness is not optional. It's actually mandatory. Jesus says, if you're gonna follow me, you must forgive. And not just for that person, but so that you will be set free.” (06:44)

2. Forgiveness and Prayer Are Intertwined

Mark 11’s Emphasis
- She cites Mark 11:24–26, showing that Jesus pairs the power of prayer with the need to forgive.
- Quote:
  
  “Forgiveness and praying go together.” (04:34)
Everyday Relevance
- Madison believes everyone, at some point, will need to exercise forgiveness, even for small hurts or “micro moments.”

3. What Forgiveness Is—and What It Isn’t

Not Just a One-Time Act
- Forgiveness isn’t a single moment or about mustering up compassion; it’s a process that Jesus partners with you in through prayer.
- Quote:
  
  “Forgiveness is not for the big. It's for the really small as well... There’s little micro moments that Jesus wants to partner with you today to set you free.” (10:10)
The Personal Cost of Unforgiveness
- Holding onto bitterness affects not just your relationships but how you view yourself and the burdens you carry.
- Memorable moment: Madison’s candid reflection on praying through her own struggles, asking Jesus, “‘How do I know if I have forgiven somebody?’” (05:19)

4. The God-Source of Forgiveness

Leaning on Jesus, Not Self
- True forgiveness comes not from conjuring up feelings, but from receiving God’s love and strength.
- Quote:
  
  “It’s not that you muster up enough compassion for that person. It’s that as you pray with me, as you focus on me, I send enough and sufficient love to you that you get to extend it to them.” (08:00)

5. Practical Exercise: A Guided Prayer of Forgiveness

Step-by-Step Reflection and Prayer (14:17–20:10)
- Madison leads listeners through a meditative prayer:
  - Think of the person you need to forgive.
  - Ask Jesus for strength to forgive.
  - Say the person’s name: “Jesus, give me the strength to forgive ____.”
  - Affirm: “I forgive you because Christ has forgiven me.”
  - Extend love: “I love you.”
- Quote:
  
  “God, we know that forgiveness is not one time, but it's continuous. It's in prayer. It's in relation with you.” (17:11)
Releasing the Pain
- Madison emphasizes that forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting or pretending nothing happened, but letting go and releasing bitterness.
- Quote:
  
  “Not to forget, not to act like it didn't happen. But what the word in the Bible means is to let go, to yield, to release.” (18:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Forgiveness is the path to full freedom in Christ.” (09:14)
“There’s little micro moments that Jesus wants to partner with you today to set you free.” (10:13)
“It's about what you've asked us to do. And so, Jesus, I forgive because you have forgiven me of my sins.” (17:53)
“By forgiving we are walking as children of the light.” (19:31)

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:00–04:20 – Reading and breakdown of Matthew 6:9–14 and Mark 11:24–26
04:21–07:15 – Why forgiveness is vital and non-negotiable for believers
07:16–08:50 – Experiencing the struggle to forgive; how Jesus helps us
08:51–10:50 – Forgiveness for the “big and small” and its daily relevance
14:17–20:10 – Guided prayer and practical steps for letting go and forgiving

Conclusion

Madison Prewett Troutt’s episode is both heartfelt and practical, blending biblical teaching with relatable struggles and concrete steps. She encourages listeners to pursue daily, authentic forgiveness as a path to personal and spiritual freedom, reminding everyone that true release comes through the ongoing partnership with Jesus. The episode is rich with empathy, wisdom, and actionable guidance for anyone struggling with unforgiveness, big or small.

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[00:00]
A
Matthew 6, verse 9 through 14. This is called the Lord's Prayer. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. It's a prayer that Jesus explains to his disciples when they say, will you teach us how to pray? And Jesus says, we'll pray like this. And I think for another time in another podcast, we'll walk through all of the Lord's Prayer, but I want to Highlight just verses 12 and 14. It says, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Now, we've heard that before and that's a part of the Lord's Prayer. But Jesus ends with that very strong statement in 14. He says, if you forgive others, then I'll forgive you. I was just thinking this week, there's so many verses in Scripture where Jesus is explaining the power of prayer. And on the power of prayer he tags this forgiveness, peace, that if you will forgive, then your heavenly Father will forgive you. I want to read one other verse. This is in Mark, chapter 11, verses 24 through 26. Jesus is explaining once again the power of prayer. And he says this. Therefore, I tell you whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone so that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses. How powerful is forgiveness? We may categorize people as there are people that need to forgive and people that are free. But really, I believe every single person listening to me right now will at some point this week have to exercise the power of forgiveness. And if you didn't catch it, Jesus just said, there is so much power. That's paired with praying. Forgiveness and praying go together. If you're anything like me, you've maybe asked God, God, how do I know if I have forgiven somebody? How do I know if I've really forgiven? I think sometimes we can think forgiveness is this one time moment that I muster up enough compassion and I say, I'm done. But I believe that Jesus wants to pair with you, partner with you in prayer, and walk through forgiveness relationally. So if you've had a parent or a friend or a co worker or somebody in your life that you think about. And it still brings that sting of rejection, that moment of pain that, why did this have to happen to me? You're probably like the rest of us that have a person or a place or a memory that still brings up pain. What I know with the rest of Scripture is that forgiveness is not optional. It's actually mandatory. Jesus says, if you're gonna follow me, you must forgive. And not just for that person, but so that you will be set free. I believe that when we hold on to bitterness and anger, it doesn't just affect the way that we view others. It affects the way that we view ourself. It affects the weight that we carry. And I asked Jesus, I said, jesus, how do I forgive? And I felt this whisper in my heart that I want to share with you. Grant, I. I am the way to forgiveness. It's not that you muster up enough compassion for that person. It's that as you pray with me, as you focus on me, I send enough and sufficient love to you that you get to extend it to them. Now, I remember praying and I remember going, okay, Jesus, if you've forgiven me, then I can forgive them. And I was almost comparing to the size of my sin against Jesus versus the size of the other person's sin against me. And I was like, you know what? Yeah, I sinned this big. I can forgive them. And Jesus just gently reminded me, again, grant, it's not about what they've done to you. It's about who I am and what I've set you free from. Forgiveness is the path to full freedom in Christ. And forgiveness is not for the big. It's for the really small as well. It's for the time you found your friend that was texting about you. It's for the time that you found out that that person you really liked actually said this about you. It's for the time that your mom didn't show up when she said she was gonna show up. There's little micro moments that Jesus wants to partner with you today to set you free. And so I just wanna walk through a prayer with you. And this prayer is something that you can go back to, something you can send to somebody that needs to walk in forgiveness. I believe prayer partnered with forgiveness leads to a full and free life in Christ. So close your eyes wherever you're at. Take a deep breath. Dear Jesus, it's not that I feel like forgiving, but I really need your help to know that forgiveness is where freedom is Found. And so, Jesus, I need to look at you right now, and I don't need a fake forgiveness, God, I need a real forgiveness for this person. Jesus, I need you to give me the strength to forgive. Right now. Wherever you're at, I want you to think about that person that you are holding anger or resentment or bitterness towards. Think about them. And I want you to say this out loud. Jesus, give me the strength to forgive. And I want you to say their name. I'm gonna give you a moment right now, Jesus, give me the strength to forgive. Blank. Jesus, I know that you've forgiven me of all my sins and you've asked me to forgive everybody of their sins. And so this is an exercise that I want you to walk through. I want you to say their name. Name. I forgive you because Christ has forgiven me. I forgive you because Christ has forgiven me. And then I want you to say this. And it can come with pain and it can come with fear. I want you to say their name and I want you to say, I love you. Do that right now. God, we know that forgiveness is not one time, but it's continuous. It's in prayer. It's in relation with you. And everybody listening to me, Lord, has different sizes of pain that they need to forgive. And God, you know their pain. You know what comes with some of this pain. But Lord, forgiveness is not about someone deserving it. It's about what you've asked us to do. And so, Jesus, I forgive because you have forgiven me of my sins. God, right now, for anybody that is still struggling, I pray that they would know that every single moment, hour, day of the week, they can come to you and they can ask you to give them the strength to forgive, not to forget, not to act like it didn't happen. But what the word in the Bible means is to let go, to yield, to release. Jesus, give everybody listening the power to. To release. I release anger. I release my pain. I release my bitterness. Because, Jesus Christ, you forgave me. God, thank you that every person listening right now has an opportunity to forgive, big or small. And that by forgiving we are walking as children of the light. I plead the blood of Jesus over everybody listening. And I pray all of these in the most powerful forgiving name that there ever is. Jesus Christ, be blessed today.