TODAY’S BIG IDEA:

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free

and discover the prisoner was you.”

- Lewis B. Smedes

FORGIVENESS is the gift you give yourself

so you can HEAL,

MOVE FORWARD from your losses,

PURSUE NEW opportunities

and LIVE a happy life.

SCRIPTURES:

EPHESIANS 4:26-27, 31-32 NKJV [Paul said], Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. ... 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING one another, even as God in Christ FORGAVE you.

MATTHEW 18:21-22 NKJV Then Peter came to Jesus and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I FORGIVE him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

LUKE 17:3-6 NKJV [Jesus said], "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, FORGIVE him. 4 "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall FORGIVE him." 5 And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our FAITH."

WHAT IS FORGIVENESS:

FORGIVENESS is when I

MENTALLY and EMOTIONALLY

SEPARATE the OFFENDER from “ME,”

to heal my sense of Self.

FORGIVENESS is when I

RELEASE the OFFENDER from

SUPPORTING my identity,

hopes for the future

and what was lost.

THE MODEL OF FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION:

EVENT (ME)
WOUND (ME)
FORGIVENESS (ME)
HEAL (ME)
RECONCILE (US)
TRUST (US)

NOW WHAT???

CLARIFY the offence
ASSESS the inner narratives
SEPARATE the offender
RELEASE the offender

MOVING FORWARD THIS WEEK:

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THIS?
HOW WILL YOU USE IT TO HELP/SERVE OTHERS?

BREAK FREE #3