10 Steps to Forgiveness

Image by Freepik

A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

1st DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO SUFFER ANYMORE AND TAKE AN ATTITUDE: Forgiving is not a feeling but a decision!

2nd DON’T WAIT FOR THE OTHER: The regret of the other cannot and should not be a condition for you!

3rd STOP TALKING ABOUT IT: You will never forget, but you don’t need to feed your pain either.4th REFLECT ON YOUR PART IN WHAT HAPPENED: This does not justify the other’s error, but it will make you realize that everyone makes mistakes and fails.5th CHAT TO RESOLVE: If there is a need to expose your feelings, but the decision to forgive should not depend on it.

6th IF YOU ALSO MADE A MISTAKE IN IT, BE HUMBLE: Recognising your mistake, don’t hesitate to ask for forgiveness.

7th FORGIVE YOURSELF: Forgiving yourself is an act of love, the end of guilt and the suffering it entails.

8th RESTORE TRUST: When it comes to betrayal, for example, allow yourself to physically and emotionally distance from the person, until you are recovered. This is applicable in some case, even if you never get closer to that person again you should forgive.

9th DEVELOP A ‘HEART’ THAT FORGIVES: Forgiving doesn’t make the other person right, it makes us free!

10th GIVE A SECOND CHANCE: This does not mean accepting the mistake, but forgiving. Be good to others, but even better to yourself!