Just thinking about forgiveness can get overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you do the hard work? And is it worth it in the end?

Today's episode unpacks this struggle and offers a practical strategy to address the need for us to ask for and extend forgiveness. Using the acronym GRACE, we acknowledge these volatile barriers that keep us stuck in an unforgiving pattern and offer a tool for moving forward.

G - Get real with yourself
R - Remember what forgiveness is, and isn't
A - Affirm the value of forgiveness
C - Commit to the process
E - Examples of forgiveness

Show Notes:

4:00 The first step in forgiveness might surprise you, but here's why Getting real about the difficulty of forgiveness is important to acknowledge.

6:10 It's easy to confuse what forgiveness is and isn't. Remembering this definition will help clarify what it means to choose to forgive.

9:40 Without this Affirmation, it will be easy to abandon the plan to forgive and sit in our unforgiveness.

10:30 Everyone says we should forgive others, but why? These physical benefits of forgiveness confirm what the Bible says on the topic.

13:00 Unforgiveness blocks us from experiencing this to the fullest and should be one of the biggest motivators to forgive others.

15:20 Want more control of your emotions? This advice is counter-intuitive but works.

16:00 Forgiveness won't happen overnight, which is why your Commitment to this is step is critical. 

18:00 Listen here to understand how being image-bearers of Christ impact our desire for reconciliation.

19:30 Cultivate this "little" thing to help you forgive the big things.

20:30 Need encouragement to continue the forgiveness process? Remembering inspiration Examples of forgiveness can help keep you on track.

Sources: 
The Forgiveness Instinct by Michael E. McCullough, March 1, 2008 published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Magazine.

Mayo Clinic Article
https://mayocl.in/2ZmuIrZ