Exploring Trust in Forgiveness (What can we learn from the tragic death of Braxton Caner?)

A Reposting from the blog series on forgiveness, repentance and reconciliation from 2012.  What can we learn from tragedy - the loss of Braxton Caner? 

 

What hidden lessons can we find?

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The Importance of Trust-building in Forgiveness

We've elucidated many ideas about forgiveness, primarily that it is a journey and that emotional like peeling an onion. Each layer brings tears and reminds us of what we've experienced in the past. We find ourselves remembering griefs we believe were healed and we have to reaffirm forgiveness as God takes our healing to a deeper level in our souls. We can take the hard road of the Path of Healing as an act of obedience to God and virtue, dedicating ourselves to genuine forgiveness which honors both the offended and the offender. We must choose to identify and resist both the Path of Denial which pretends in some way that no offense ever took place as well as the Path of Bitterness which deceives us into believing that we are forgiving when we're only gathering evidence to exonerate ourselves from blame and condemn our offender. We grieve quite a bit during this process and must learn to wisely discern true repentance from mental assent and lip service.
healing is not on a straight time line. It occurs in stages, and healing becomes more 

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What is Repentance? (What can we learn from the tragic death of Braxton Caner?)

A Reposting from the blog series on forgiveness, repentance and reconciliation from 2012.  What can we learn from tragedy - the loss of Braxton Caner? 

 

What hidden lessons can we find?

~~~

Defining Repentance on the Journey of Forgiveness

What constitutes repentance? The Gospels tell us that we must always forgive when those who have sinned against us (or disappointed us) repent of wrongdoing.  The Bible sets a precedent that repentance precedes forgiveness.  But what do we understand about the concept? As reviewed previously, Christians are called to confront others when wronged and must forgive when those who committed the wrong repent. For the Christian, forgiveness is non-optional. Review more about forgiveness HERE.

He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard!

If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Luke 17:1-4

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