Choosing Forgiveness

Scripture says that offenses will happen. People will let us down and we will let others down, as well. Forgiveness is left up to us to pray about and then practice. Far from minimizing the hurt of the offense, readers are called to understand that offering forgiveness and letting go of bitterness is the only way to walk in faithfulness. Drawing on biblical teaching of our call to forgive, Nancy shows the reader that forgiveness is a choice- and the only pathway to true freedom.

By demonstrating how forgiveness, approached in the correct manner, benefits the forgiver far more than the forgiven this self-help book benefits people who have been deeply hurt by another and caught in a vortex of anger, depression, and resentment.

To say that offering forgiveness is a challenge is an understatement. Forgiveness is tough! Forgiveness is often messy. Forgiveness doesn’t feel good to most of us. And when it comes to the biggest, deepest hurts in life, forgiveness can seem impossible. Some hurts are the everyday, garden-variety irritations we endure for having to live in the company of other human beings who lose their tempers, get up on the wrong side of the bed, say nasty things, are ungrateful, selfish, and irritable. Some hurts are of a magnitude that far transcend these — degradation, exploitation, abandonment, rejection, humiliation, racism, bullying, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. But with God’s grace, even in those most difficult cases, forgiveness is possible. In Choosing Forgiveness, Fr. Thomas Berg and Dr. Timothy G. Lock are your guides on the way toward forgiveness through the grace of God. This book will help you discover the pathway to healing, peace, and interior freedom, releasing you and those who have wronged you from the bondage of unforgiveness.

You know that as a believer you are called to forgive—but how? How can you truly forgive someone who hurt you? What does “letting it go” actually look like? What if they don’t even seem sorry? Find refreshment in God’s Word with this six-week study on forgiveness from June Hunt. Packed with practical tips, realistic advice, and discussion questions, the 6-week Choosing Forgiveness Bible Study invites you to dive deeper into the Bible and shows you how to apply its truth to your life. Discover the following: 9 Signs of a Forgiving Heart 11 Barriers to Forgiveness 4 Bible Truths to Set You Free 8 Steps to Reconciliation Unlike other Bible studies on these topics, these studies use charts, bulleted lists, and an easy-to-use format, along with discussion questions and life applications for each week.

Hearing the call to forgive is different from knowing how to practice forgiveness at home and in the world. In this book, Greg Jones and Célestin Musekura describe how churches and communities can cultivate the habits that make forgiveness possible, not only in situations like genocide but also in everyday circumstances of marriage, family and congregational life.

Drawing on the philosophy of A Course in Miracles, Casarjian gives a new and surprising definition of forgiveness and provides original exercises and meditations that acknowledge our hurt even as they lead us beyond it. The book explores special cases involving family members, crime victims, self-forgiveness, and forgiveness of God.

DIV John and Paula Sandford explain how ego and pride are involved in hurtful situations and how, in the world’s eyes, it would be natural to seek revenge. But unforgiveness and sin have a way of keeping us in a constant state of chaos and trouble. /div

There are no magic words or secret formulas for forgiveness. But there are biblical principles that can help you break free from bitterness and pain.

Gary Inrig brings wonderful breadth, depth, and balance to a very difficult subject: forgiveness. As one 83-year-old theologian, Rev. Herb VanderLugt, says, "This is the best book on the subject I have ever read." Whether it's living forgiven, learning to forgive, what to do when an offender refuses to request forgiveness, whether we're asking, giving, or waiting for forgiveness, this book covers the subject with Inrig's on-the-mark illustrations and solid biblical teaching. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of the subject of forgiveness to the Christian faith. If the Bible makes it clear that Christians are forgiven people, it also makes it clear that we are to be forgiving people. How and when do we do that? What does it look like?

"If your enemies are starving, feed them some bread; if they are thirsty, give them water to drink." Proverbs 24:17 (CEB) There is nothing more crippling than holding on to anger. Anger, more than any other emotion, has the power to consume all aspects of our lives, distort our sense of purpose, and destroy our relationship with God. In the passionate and life-changing book Forgiveness: Finding Peace Though Letting Go, bestselling author Adam Hamilton brings the same insight that he applied in the bestseller "Why?" to the challenge of forgiveness. Hamilton argues that revelation comes when we realize that forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves rather than to someone else. He also contends that only when we learn to forgive others and ourselves can we truly receive forgiveness from God. “Adam Hamilton not only reminds us about the importance of reconnecting the broken pieces of our lives, but shows how the process of grace and forgiveness is possibly our most complete picture of God.” --Shane Stanford, author of Making Life Matter: Embracing the Joy in the Everyday “The heartbeat of the gospel is grace. With practical insight, Hamilton makes grace understandable--both for seeking and for granting forgiveness. I highly recommend this book.” --Melody Carlson, author of Healing Waters: A Bible Study on Forgiveness, Grace, and Second Chances “Adam Hamilton’s book offers clear guidance for believers struggling with the practical application of our biblical imperative to forgive. It is a must-read for both Christian counselors and every person who has something or someone to forgive.” --Jennifer Cisney Ellers, author of The First 48 Hours: Spiritual Caregivers as First Responders "Deeply rooted in the Bible’s testimony about God’s extravagant mercy, this fine little book explores the Christian call to practice both repentance and forgiveness in the image of God. Straightforward and practical, Hamilton vividly sketches the habits of the heart that discipleship requires in our daily relationships with spouses and intimate life partners, family members, friends and strangers." --Patricia Beattie Jung, Professor of Christian Ethics, Saint Paul School of Theology