Prodigal: I need to be more grateful of my relationships.

Me: Me too, relationships can be tough but the core of forgiveness is that love is present.

This is from the book Bold Love by Dr. Dan Allender & Dr. Tremper Longman III

It is commonly assumed that forgiving another is a one-time event. It is viewed as a climactic releasing of bitterness and hatred, and a return to a state of kindness and compassion. Forgiveness is often talked about in the past tense, “I was so hurt by my father that it took years before I forgave him,” rather than being viewed as an ongoing work of the Spirit of God.

It seems that many experience one major moment when a transition takes place from holding on to bitterness to releasing the rage. This moment is often viewed as the point when forgiveness occurred; therefore, it is now finished and resolved. Forgiving another may often have an actual moment of climactic transition, similar to conversion when a person goes from death to life, but it is naive to believe forgiving another for any one failure or for a lifetime of harm is every entirely finished. The fact seems to be that as any harm is more fully faced, then it requires the deepening of forgiveness to overcome. To forgive another is always an ongoing, deepening, quickening process, rather than a once-and-for-all event.

Forgiving seems so quick and sometimes an afterthought. We can think the work of forgiveness is done. Then one word brings emotions to the front that need to be dealt with. God designed forgiveness in the most amazing form, when Jesus came to this earth. Then the Lord gave us the Comforter to help us after Jesus left. Today the Comforter will have to help you.

Proverbs 12:18

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org