BIBLE TIME: Charlie's murder was a violation of God's divine order, not Erika Kirk's... She sinned against God by forgiving him without his repentence. No theologian would have agreed with the outrageous suggestion that we unconditionally forgive those who abuse and murder our family members.
(media.greatawakening.win)
🥫Sauce In Comments🥫
Faith in yourself and the other person as well. Not just God. The faith in God is that everything will work out. The faith in yourself is that extending the olive branch and being accountable for your actions is a good thing and that ultimately the fruits of integrity will make everything better for everyone. The faith in the other person is that they will rise above and accept the forgiveness in a real way, because they see your worth is greater than the grudge they hold.
I can tell you personally that forgiveness is one of THE most powerful and transformative things in your life. I had a many-year issue with my stepfather, it was my fault and he's a grudge holding person. I apologized to him in a real way and our relationship has fundamentally changed for the better. I love him and he loves me and now we're doing outdoor stuff together. It makes me cry when I think if I hadn't found the courage to ask him for forgiveness, he'd forever be angry with me and me at him, and then our time before that would have no meaning at all.
That forgiveness is healing I have no doubt, and have benefited from.
My faith in the other person is where I would have to disagree. I have faith that the universe (God) will balance things out and the other person will live their story in line with God's plan - and I accept that I don't really have any say over that.
However, I have been down that road of reconciliation with my own father - you want to know how that ended? He sent me a death threat on my 40th birthday. We haven't spoken since.
I don't hold any grudges, but I have no faith that he will ever reach out to me, and I'm done being the one always holding out the olive branch only to have it shoved down my throat :)