Unlocking ForgivenessSample

You’re My Son Now

Nelson Vargas grew up in Chicago, and life was harsh from the start. By thirteen, he’d been kicked out of his home, lived on the streets, and joined a gang. As a young man, he became a powerful drug dealer, even pulling his own son into the business. Yet God’s hand was already at work.

After a life-threatening heart condition landed him in the hospital, Nelson resisted surgery. But a persistent invitation to church drew him to an altar where he encountered God’s healing and grace. Transformation began, but his son continued down a dangerous path.

Meanwhile, Carlos Colon, a teenager trapped in gang life, took part in a violent act that cost Nelson’s son his life. Carlos spent seventeen years in prison for that crime, and there he also met God. For a decade, he prayed for a chance to reconcile with the family he had harmed.

Upon his release, Carlos attended a ministry event and learned that Nelson Vargas, the father of the son he’d killed, was now a pastor. Afraid yet hopeful, he reached out. What he didn’t know was that Nelson had been praying for him for years, asking God to save him and use him for good.

The day finally came. Both men stepped into the church with hearts heavy from grief yet alive with hope. There was no script, no guidebook for such a meeting. But as they sat face to face, sharing their stories, praying, and speaking words of blessing, the impossible began to unfold. Nelson looked at the man who had taken his son’s life and said, “You are my son now.”

Forgiveness comes at a cost. It can be painful, sacrificial, and emotionally raw. Yet when we surrender to God’s grace, He does far more than we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) and carves a pathway of restoration where none seemed possible (Psalm 77:19).

Take a moment to reflect: Is there someone you need to forgive, even when it feels impossible? How might God use your obedience to write a new story of hope and reconciliation?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, teach me to forgive even when it feels impossible, to release the weight of anger and grief into Your hands. May my obedience open doors for healing, reconciliation, and hope, reflecting Your grace in every relationship. Let Your love flow through me, turning loss into life and pain into a testimony of Your power and mercy.

In Jesus’ name.
Amen.