Forgiveness

Real relationships are messy. They are times of miscommunication, misunderstanding, unmet expectations, and hurt feelings. More often than not though, the people closest to us do not set their sights on trying to make our lives miserable. But sometimes, when their misery cannot be contained, it spills out all over those who are closest to them.  The greatest challenge for those who get splattered by another’s misery is to avoid blame, to refrain from bitterness and to resist revenge.

Has a person or an event of the past shattered your hope for the future? In the aftermath of a traumatic event, emotional stability is challenging. Ignoring trauma or loss never makes the pain go away. Silence only adds to the pain. Recovering from such an event may include coming to terms with one’s own anger, blame, and resentment. A liberal dose of forgiveness is what our wounds cry out for. Where there is forgiveness, there is healing. In truth, when someone hurts you, forgiving them helps YOU heal.

In this retreat, we will explore anger, resentment, bitterness, defensiveness, grudges, and unforgiveness. We will give structure to forgiveness. And, we will ponder reconciliation.