Five Ways to Start Forgiving Right Now
As We Forgive (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
1. Pray for the person who wounded you. Ask God for insight and understanding into this person’s life and for the situation you’re challenged with.
2. Look the offending person in the eye, say hello, and offer a compliment. It’s easier to hold on to grudges and hard feelings when you pretend the other person doesn’t exist. It’s not as easy when you have to be reminded they’re human just like you. Whether they respond in kind doesn’t matter. What matters is what you do.
3. Do the right thing. Whether someone is willing to meet you halfway or not, do what is right and don’t worry about what the other person is doing or not doing.
4. Be OK with what you’ve got. Sometimes problems develop because our expectations are higher than what someone else is willing to give or be. When you’ve done what you can to bring a relationship closer, but there’s no movement from the other side, there’s not a lot more you can do. Accept what you have and look at the close relationships you do have and be grateful for them.
5. Pick your battles. Choose peace over winning. This is hard. Especially if the person you’re struggling with makes no effort to change whatever behavior hurt you in the first place. But respond to insults with kindness. Show smiles to slights and huffs. Remind yourself you’ve already been bought with a price, and your peace doesn’t come from someone who doesn’t see the value in you anyway. It comes from Christ. So focus on him.
Horn, S. (2014). How can i possibly forgive? rescuing your heart from resentment and regret. Eugene, OR: Harvest House.