Encountering The Healing Power Of Forgiveness

Where was God during my deepest times of betrayal by others? If I forgive, does that mean I condone the hurt done to me? Have I forgiven someone if I relive the pain every time I hear his or her name? If you have asked these questions, you are not alone. Join author Shawn Lantz in an eight-week personal journey through the book of Genesis to uncover answers to these deep-rooted relationship questions found in the lives of Joseph and his family. We will discover God's healing plan through forgiveness impacts many generations to come.

Few Christians realize nearly every problem in life stems from an unwillingness to forgive someone. When we hold grudges, seek retribution, and blame others, we end up hurting our relationships with God and people—and short-circuit our ability to live the Christian live the way it's meant to be lived. Why is forgiveness so difficult at times? Must we forgive when it's the other person's fault? How should we handle repeat offenses? What if we feel we can't forgive because we've been hurt so badly? Pritchard answers these questions and more by pointing to God's example as the Supreme Forgiver. When we learn to forgive in the way He forgives, then we'll know true freedom, peace, and emotional healing.

Forgiveness is a powerful agent for healing, a catalyst of growth and change. When we allow ourselves to be bound to the past by an unwillingness to forgive--"or to be forgiven--"we limit our wholeness and ability to be all that God intended us to be. Though often difficult, the steps we can take toward forgiveness are steps that bring us closer to a healthy relationship with God and with others.

To err is human. But because we are social beings, our mistakes often harm others in small and not-so-small ways. We have all given or received wounds that need the healing power of forgiveness. This is easier said than done, however. Many would like to forgive, but just can't seem to do it. And they continue to suffer the bitterness and the lack of peace that comes from unforgiven injuries.In Wounds in the Heart, Dr. Javier Schlatter leads us out of this conundrum and into a deeper understanding of forgiveness and its importance in our lives. He explains what forgiveness is, what it is not, and how to experience its healing power in our lives. He also looks at the impact of forgiveness on health and the keys to forgiveness in marriage. His insights are practical but also provide a deeper understanding of forgiveness that goes well beyond a superficial self-help book.

The Power of Forgiveness is a comprehensive guide to forgiveness as a healing practice. The author makes the crucial point that, for us to be the most empowered versions of ourselves in the world, we must prioritize our healing. And forgiveness is the most important path toward healing that we can undertake. The book is made up of three distinct parts. Part I engages the reader in considering what forgiveness is, and what it isn't, and why it is so important to participate in this powerful and often misunderstood, process. Part II reveals the framework and process. The author offers readers a comprehensive roadmap, with a series of written exercises and guided meditations, toward forgiveness. The structure she provides helps to strengthen the competencies we need to forgive fully. The final section of the book discusses concepts related to forgiveness that deepen our understanding of the healing practice. In considering the impact of personal forgiveness on the world around us, Hooks shows us in great detail how people who practice forgiveness in their daily lives have the capacity to heal both themselves and the world.