Forgiveness does not mean reconciliation. So many times around the holidays people will allow themselves to be in a destructive situation because they want to reconcile with a family member that has hurt or abandoned them. They mistake the idea of reconciliation—which takes both parties with forgiveness. Forgiveness only involves one party. Forgiving a person can happen completely on your own, but the other person has to want to make things right for reconciliation. (75)
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Being Thankful for the Life We Have and Lamenting What Could Have Been
When Cindy Clemishire was twelve years old, a family friend and church pastor began sexually assaulting her. Five years later, she told her family. Roughly three decades later, the story went public. In those intervening years, her abuser expressed remorse over “having an inappropriate relationship” with a woman other than his wife.He never mentioned that…
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Thanks for that Joe, very insightful!
Joe, is it possible to forgive someone if they don’t ask for forgiveness?
Wayne, that is a great question. What do you think?
You are able to forgive someone even if they do not ask for forgiveness. The person is saying, “I refuse to let you overpower me and I am going to take my life back. I am choosing to be an agent rather than a victim.”