FORGIVENESS: FORGETTING THE PAST AND PAIN PART II

IV. How can we help promote forgiveness? A. Change occurs in five stages: No one can convince or persuade people to change. The door to change is guarded by a person who opens the door from the inside. What can we do to help the person want to open the door? Listening and _________________ ______________ the problem Develop an _____________ ______________ Support attempts at ________________ B. Pyramid Model to REACH Forgiveness: R E A C H C. Promote Empathy Write a letter as if one were the person who caused the harm. Tell personal thoughts, feelings, insight, and pressures.

 Write a letter of apology, as if one were the person who caused the harm. How hard is it to do this? D. Promoting the Giving of Forgiveness Think of a time when you did something wrong (to someone else) and was forgiven. Reflect Would you like to give that gift of forgiveness to the person who hurt you? E. Encourage Commitment to Forgiveness Write a certificate of forgiveness. Write a letter of forgiveness, but do not send it. F. Promote Holding onto Forgiveness When Doubts Arise Re-experiencing hurt or recalling an offense is not the same as forgiveness. G. Forgiveness is unique to the individual and even to some individual situations; there are no absolutes or formulas. Sometimes God grants the ability to forgive instantly. Most of the time it takes longer hours to days. V. Conclusion Forgiveness is a gift: From God to the forgiver. From the forgiver to the person who does not deserve the gift, but is given the gift of forgiveness anyway.