How Can I Forgive

Anyone who has heard about Jesus has listened to the word “forgiveness.” Jesus healed people with forgiveness. His sacrifice was for the forgiveness of sins. God is slow to anger and quick to forgive. Jesus, Paul, and those who followed after him taught us to forgive one another. We are told that we are judged by the same measure in which we judge others. Forgiveness is a prerequisite for the Christian life!

We can easily find plenty of verses that stress the importance of forgiveness. But it’s more challenging to find the verses that tell us exactly how to do it. It’s not rhetorical when someone who has been betrayed asks, “How can I forgive you?” Being unable to forgive, for many people, is a huge obstacle in their Christian discipleship.

Learning how to forgive has been a very important part of my own spiritual development and psychological health. When I began studying what God has to say about forgiveness, I realized the “how-to” is in the owner’s manual–the Bible! It isn’t spelled out specifically in one place, so it helps to walk through the steps and learn together.

I am offering such a class on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm, starting March 13 and ending April 17. We will use the book, Total Forgiveness, by R.T. Kendall. During these six weeks, we will learn:

• Why should I forgive?
• If someone has wronged me, should I always bring it to their attention?
• What is (and is not) forgiveness?
• How do I forgive myself?
• How do I forgive God?
• Why should I forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it?
• How do I know I have totally forgiven?
• What steps do I take to get from being hurt to being healed?
• How do I forgive over and over without becoming a doormat for others’ abuse?
• What about forgiving someone who’s not sorry, or doesn’t know they’ve wronged me, or even someone who’s no longer with us?

I would love for you to join me in this important class. I have seen many people make great strides in their lives by learning how to practice forgiveness daily. To register for the class, come by the church office and pick up a book.