---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To not extend forgiveness is to burn the…"
description: "\"“To not extend forgiveness is to burn the bridge that we ourselves must cross.”\" — Richard Paul Evans"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34d/richard-paul-evans-1002_burn_to-not-extend-forgiveness-is-to-burn-the_2250554.png"
---

#  To not extend forgiveness is to burn the bridge that we…

![“To not extend forgiveness is to burn the bridge that we ourselves must cross.” quote by Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34d/richard-paul-evans-1002_burn_to-not-extend-forgiveness-is-to-burn-the_2250554.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34d/richard-paul-evans-1002_burn_to-not-extend-forgiveness-is-to-burn-the_2250554.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34d/richard-paul-evans-1002_burn_to-not-extend-forgiveness-is-to-burn-the_2250554.png)

> ““To not extend forgiveness is to burn the bridge that we ourselves must cross.””

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Holding onto resentment blocks your own path; forgiveness frees you to move forward.

**In simple terms:** Forgiveness removes personal obstacles.

Key Takeaway

Choose forgiveness daily.

Themes

forgiveness self‑release growth

Mood

hopeful calming

Type

spiritual advice

When to use this quote

- conflict resolution
- relationship repair
- self‑care

Key Concepts

emotional healing personal responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- What does forgiveness mean to you?
- How can you practice it safely?

A Different Perspective

Forgiveness may feel like condoning wrongdoing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Burn The Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn-the-bridge/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/)

## Related quotes

> [Sometimes when we follow Jesus we have to burn the bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/for-now/sometimes-when-we-follow-jesus-we-have-to-burn-the-bridge/)

For Now

> [To deny our pasts is to burn the bridge we must cross to self-understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/to-deny-our-pasts-is-to-burn-the-bridge-we-must-cross-to-self/)

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> [Even though you were the one to give up, I was the one to burn the bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-leah/even-though-you-were-the-one-to-give-up-i-was-the-one-to-burn-the/)

[Jamie-Leah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-leah/)

> [“But understand that the reason it is so difficult to extend forgiveness to those who have failed us is because we are unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/but-understand-that-the-reason-it-is-so-difficult-to-extend/)

[Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/)

> [Some amazing records have this power to leave you with inspiration; you're left with the urge to write something. And some records are totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mars/some-amazing-records-have-this-power-to-leave-you-with-inspiration/)

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> [It's all too often that we burn a bridge before realizing that we left something on the other side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-all-too-often-that-we-burn-a-bridge-before-realizing-that-we/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The importance in life is to never burn a bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/the-importance-in-life-is-to-never-burn-a-bridge/)

[Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/)

> [Finding a way to extend forgiveness to ourselves is one of our most essential tasks. Just as others have been caught in suffering, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/finding-a-way-to-extend-forgiveness-to-ourselves-is-one-of-our-most/)

[Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/)

> [If you want to be forgiven, you have to extend forgiveness, even to people who aren't smart enough to ask for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/if-you-want-to-be-forgiven-you-have-to-extend-forgiveness-even-to/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [We are to extend forgiveness to others in the same way that God did to us: Unconditionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/we-are-to-extend-forgiveness-to-others-in-the-same-way-that-god-did/)

[David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/)

> [Make sure you completely burn the bridges you want to burn or you'll be tempted to turn around and go back to your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-sure-you-completely-burn-the-bridges-you-want-to-burn-or-you-ll/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Don't burn the bridge between us and then expect me to send you a boat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-burn-the-bridge-between-us-and-then-expect-me-to-send-you-a-boat/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

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> [“Keep your heart and mind open, Taylor. Don't make any rash decisions that you might regret later on. Sometimes things in life aren't as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wynters/keep-your-heart-and-mind-open-taylor-don-t-make-any-rash-decisions/)

[Rose Wynters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wynters/)

> [If you want to bring freedom to your city you yourself have to be free. Burn the bridges that have led to old chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-bring-freedom-to-your-city-you-yourself-have-to-be/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Richard Paul Evans

> [ The smells of Christmas are the smells of childhood \[p. 53\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/the-smells-of-christmas-are-the-smells-of-childhood-p-53/)

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> [We are chained to that which we do not forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/we-are-chained-to-that-which-we-do-not-forgive/)

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

> [“I've found that when someone is beautiful on the outside, but spiritually dark inside, all that outer beauty is just lipstick on a pig.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-ve-found-that-when-someone-is-beautiful-on-the-outside-but/)

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

> [There are none so impoverished as those who do not acknowledge the abundance of their lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/there-are-none-so-impoverished-as-those-who-do-not-acknowledge-the/)

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

> [It's our memories that make us who we are. Without them, we're nothing. If that means we have to hurt sometimes, it's worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/it-s-our-memories-that-make-us-who-we-are-without-them-we-re-nothing/)

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

> [At one time in my career, Barnes and Noble bookstores categorized my books as religious fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/at-one-time-in-my-career-barnes-and-noble-bookstores-categorized-my/)

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

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[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

> [The first step of a journey is always the longest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/the-first-step-of-a-journey-is-always-the-longest/)

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[Explore all 311 Richard Paul Evans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

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