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      Mahalo April! We are glad this was meaningful to you. I am clearing my schedule to begin producing more of these in both written form and video form. We hope you will come back in the weeks ahead to see the new content. Aloha.

  1. This is so simple and syraight foward yet thought provoking…I understand that we are to forgive. I am certain that I should forgive even those who never ask for forgiveness because holding resentment against anyone does no good. This is easy enough to do with people who are not in our day to day life but in ose relationships, it gets complicated. How then are we to have “good boundaries” and discernment while offering forgiveness when it is not asked for? Doesn’t this just enable, excuse and perpetutate bad behavior?

    1. Mahalo Terra,

      GREAT question! I hear you! My advice to people in those kinds of tough situations you are describing is “Forgiveness must be offered but trust must be earned.” You don’t necessarily put yourself back in the same situation where that person has the power to hurt you in the same way again. That’s where the discernment you are talking about comes into play for us. Jesus does not intend for us to be doormats, or to put up with abuse (physical, emotional, or spiritual.) Forgiveness is really about releasing the poisonous emotions of replaying the wound over and over again in our own hearts and not binding anyone else to that incident of past poor behavior on their part. Leaving room for the Holy Spirit to change their heart. Sometimes, along with forgiveness, must come a distancing of the relationship until there is real evidence of a changed heart in the other person to the degree that they can earn back the trust they once had. So we forgive them and don’t wish them ill, but we also are wise about not allowing them the ability to wound us repeatedly. And we always leave room for, and pray for, the transformative power of God in their spirits. When that transformation comes and trust can return, forgiveness has made sure there is a possible path back to us for that person. Hope that helps. Aloha – Pastor G

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