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    8 Steps To True Forgiveness

    Uploaded by

    Shawn Griffen
    This document outlines 8 steps to true forgiveness: 1) Acknowledge the pain, 2) Think through what happened, 3) Imagine being on the other side, 4) Remember God's forgiveness, 5) Reflect on the biblical command to forgive, 6) Let go of the hurt, 7) Continue to forgive over and over, and 8) Pray for the person who hurt you. Following these steps, with God's help and strength, can help one start a journey of forgiveness that is difficult but rewarding.

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    8 Steps To True Forgiveness

    Uploaded by

    Shawn Griffen
    569 views3 pages
    This document outlines 8 steps to true forgiveness: 1) Acknowledge the pain, 2) Think through what happened, 3) Imagine being on the other side, 4) Remember God's forgiveness, 5) Reflect on the biblical command to forgive, 6) Let go of the hurt, 7) Continue to forgive over and over, and 8) Pray for the person who hurt you. Following these steps, with God's help and strength, can help one start a journey of forgiveness that is difficult but rewarding.

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    8 Steps to True Forgiveness

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    8 Steps to True Forgiveness

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    This document outlines 8 steps to true forgiveness: 1) Acknowledge the pain, 2) Think through what happened, 3) Imagine being on the other side, 4) Remember God's forgiveness, 5) Reflect on the biblical command to forgive, 6) Let go of the hurt, 7) Continue to forgive over and over, and 8) Pray for the person who hurt you. Following these steps, with God's help and strength, can help one start a journey of forgiveness that is difficult but rewarding.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    569 views3 pages

    8 Steps To True Forgiveness

    Uploaded by

    Shawn Griffen
    This document outlines 8 steps to true forgiveness: 1) Acknowledge the pain, 2) Think through what happened, 3) Imagine being on the other side, 4) Remember God's forgiveness, 5) Reflect on the biblical command to forgive, 6) Let go of the hurt, 7) Continue to forgive over and over, and 8) Pray for the person who hurt you. Following these steps, with God's help and strength, can help one start a journey of forgiveness that is difficult but rewarding.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 3

    8 Steps to True Forgiveness

    1. Acknowledge the pain.

    Working through pain can only happen once you admit you’ve been hurt.
    And acknowledging this can intensify the feelings. Tears, feelings of
    resentment and ruminating thoughts are a good indicator that something’s
    wrong. Don’t numb yourself or “stuff” the emotion down, as that cuts off
    the process of forgiving others before it’s even begun.

    2. Think through things.

    Try writing down what happened in a journal, or share with a trusted


    friend. Admit that what happened makes you feel sad or angry, and be
    honest about what emotions are rising up in you, even if it epitomizes
    unforgiveness and you think you shouldn’t feel that way.

    3. Imagine being on the other side.

    Think about a time when you have had to ask for forgiveness; how did it
    make you feel? When have you wronged another person, and did they
    extend forgiveness to you, or withhold it? The Bible directs us to do to
    others what we would have them do to us (Matthew 7:12) and so it can be
    helpful to put ourselves in their shoes for a moment.

    4. Remember God’s forgiveness

    Reminding ourselves of the debt that God forgave us in Christ when we


    certainly didn’t deserve it, can help us forgive others. If we have been
    forgiven so much, how then can we hold onto grievances committed
    against us? This is another step in the process and doesn’t mean that you
    must be ready at this point to voice your forgiveness to your offender. This
    may not ever be possible, as the person may no longer be living. You can
    still forgive someone without that forgiveness being accepted.

    5. Reflect on our Biblical command

    Jesus stressed the importance of forgiving others on many occasions and


    even included it in the Lord’s prayer, “forgive us our trespasses as we
    forgive those who trespass against us.” Pray that this would hit home in
    your heart and that your decision to obey would force your emotions to
    catch up.

    6. Let go of the hurt.

    The devil is an expert at getting a foothold when we have made a choice to


    forgive but the wound is still sensitive. Don’t allow yourself to replay the
    offense over and over; let go of the pain and determine that you are going
    to choose to move forward. This is where prayer is essential as on our own
    we are tempted to wander back to unforgiveness.

    7. Continue to forgive.

    Forgiveness is more than just saying a prayer and moving on. It’s a serious
    decision that you make over and over again. The process will most likely be
    uncomfortable and painful, but it will always be worth it in the end.

    8. Pray for the person who hurt you.

    In Matthew 5:44 Jesus commands us “Love your enemies and pray for
    those who persecute you.” Ask God to reveal his love to your offender in
    your heart, and for him to dissolve negative emotions. Is there any more
    powerful witness of God’s transforming grace than someone who can
    display true forgiveness to the “unforgivable”?

    With promises found in Scriptures like Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all this
    through Him who gives me strength”) and Romans 12:21 (“Do not be
    overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”), we know that we can
    depend on God to give us the grace to live out forgiveness. Make the right
    choice – start a journey of forgiveness today, praying for the Lord to equip
    you for this difficult but eternally rewarding task.

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