Journal Prompt-Forgiveness After Divorce

 Here is our Journal Prompt for November.  This quote relates to a book I am currently reading.  Chicken Soup for the Soul-Divorce and Recovery.  Here is a link to my youtube channel with more journal prompts...Divorce Recovery Book Club.  Let's get started with the question..

What does forgiveness look like when attempting to forgive someone who damaged you, a family member, or anyone you love? I have thought about this question a lot since my divorce.

After being damaged by someone who promised to love you for life, it is normal to have some level of anger and pain. But we are instructed by God to forgive. I believe the forgiveness process is individual and may take longer for some than for others. I think before we can forgive, we have to process and begin to let go of the hurt, which takes time.

So now that I am 10 years post-separation and divorced, I see forgiveness like this. I can forgive, but I will not forget. I believe we need to forgive in order to move on with our lives. To forgive is a benefit to our mental health. I don't feel that forgiveness means that the one that harmed us becomes our best friend, but I believe we can let go of the anger and be cordial with one another. I think we need to be guarded with our forgiveness so that we don't allow ourselves to return to the same situation that hurt us in the first place.

Essentially, "we do need to practice forgiveness, all the while learning from the experience that gave us the need to forgive."

KathieyV