My partner and I recently sat down for our very first episode of God’s Whispers in Film, and wow—did we start off with a bang! We dove deep into one of the most powerful themes I think any of us will wrestle with in this life: Forgiveness.
In this episode, we talked about how forgiveness can open your soul—how those roadblocks we hit in the present might actually be God’s whispers, His gentle nudges, telling us that before we can step into our future, we’ve got to confront and heal the wounds of our past.
To explore this, we unpacked the 2018 film I Can Only Imagine, which is based on the life of Bart Millard, the lead singer of MercyMe and his song I Can Only Imagine. It’s not just about music—it’s about trauma, healing, and the long, grace-filled road to forgiveness. The story behind his hit song “I Can Only Imagine” is rooted in pain, particularly in his relationship with his father. And what unfolds is this honest look at what it means to let God help you heal and help you get to a stage to sincerely forgive others from the wounds they inflicted upon you.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what we talked about in the episode:
The Heart of the Story
At its core, the film tells the story of Bart’s painful, complicated relationship with his abusive (physically and emotionally) father, Arthur, where their dynamic was one filled with hurt, fear, and deep emotional scarring that left Bart carrying a lot of pain that stunted his dreams as a young man. You observe that pain throughout the movie. But what’s even more powerful is the way the film doesn’t shy away from showing that healing isn’t instant. It’s a process, a journey—one that requires confronting the past head-on.
It showed God is always working to break down our errors and guide us toward growth, healing, and deeper connection—with ourselves, with others, and most of all with Him.
Forgiveness: More Than a Word
What really stood out to us is how forgiveness isn’t this one-and-done act. It’s a journey. It’s messy. Bart doesn’t just say, “I forgive you,” and move on. He has to wrestle with it. It takes courage, prayer, reflection—and a whole lot of grace to finally release his anger and hurt caused by his father to finally allow him to make the choice to truly and soulfully forgive his father. Bart’s ability to forgive his father is what allowed him to finally find his voice—not just musically, but spiritually. We talked about how forgiveness, real forgiveness, sets us free.
That act of forgiving his father wasn’t just about reconciliation—it was the key to unlocking Bart’s God-given potential. Without that, “I Can Only Imagine” wouldn’t exist. And think about that. How many of us are sitting on gifts, songs, stories, callings—because we haven’t yet let go of what’s keeping us stuck?
The Redemption of a Father
What really moved me was watching the redemption arc of Bart’s father. Arthur starts out as the villain in Bart’s story—abusive, emotionally unavailable and broken. He goes from being the source of Bart’s deepest wounds to a man completely changed by God’s grace. He only does this when he becomes open to accepting full responsibility for his actions and humbles himself enough to reach out to God, that is when his transformation begins. It’s raw, and it’s real. His redemption reminds us that nobody is too far gone. When someone opens their heart to God, redemption is always possible. It shows that we must have compassion, that even the people who have hurt us deeply are also hurting— Yes his father didn’t listen nor was he open to changing until he got sick, but it is when his son, Bart leaves then it forced the father to be still, and as he listened to his son at church through the radio, did he finally begin to listen for that whisper from God to start their own healing.
Emotional Responsibility and Health
The film also doesn’t ignore the physical toll of emotional repression. Arthur’s declining health mirrors the weight of all that unprocessed grief and guilt. And that’s a wake-up call. Our emotions don’t just vanish when we ignore them—they are contained in our soul and manifest in our bodies as illnesses. That’s why emotional responsibility is so vital. It’s not just about mental health—it’s about spiritual and physical well-being too.
Chasing Purpose, Not Approval
Bart’s story is also a powerful reminder that true freedom comes when we begin to have a desire for God, a desire to learn and grow and a part of this is finding what we love—Our Passions and Dreams and to pursue them even if it is not what others expect of us. When he finally leans into his passion for music, he doesn’t just find success—he finds healing. We all must remind ourselves, that it’s okay to break away from what people want for us, and run full speed toward what God has placed in us? You see, Bart’s decision to pursue music—even when it meant going against everything his father once stood for—was an act of obedience, in following his desire. And when we do, God is always waiting.
A Few Big Takeaways from I Can Only Imagine:
- Forgiveness is healing—and it’s necessary for growth.
- Family wounds run deep, but with God’s help all childhood emotional traumas can be healed.
- Trauma doesn’t disappear—it needs emotional processing to truly heal. This starts with a desire to change, and a lot of faith that things can change.
- God’s Laws are always attempting to correct where we are out of harmony with Love, God is always finding situations in our lives to guide us to love and truth through the law of attraction.
- Repressed pain affects your whole being, studies have shown repressed anger for example have been linked to cancers and many other diseases.
- You’re allowed to chase your calling, even if it goes against expectations.
- Redemption is real—no one is too far gone for God to reach.
- We often wear emotional masks—healing starts with taking them off.
If any of this resonates with you—maybe you’re holding on to something from the past, or simply craving a story filled with heart and real transformation—I really encourage you to check out the film, especially if you’re struggling with forgiveness.
In the meantime if you’ve seen the film but missed the episode? You can still listen to it, check it out here:
🎧 God’s Whispers in Film – Episode 1: How Forgiveness opens your soul
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