But, if we wish, we can try not to respond out of our pain in a punishing way. If forgiveness is the removal of consequences, not all things can be forgiven. Not all things should be forgiven. We should not expect forgiveness to remove all pain. And forgiveness is not a momentary act.
Forgiveness is a process attempting to restore a relationship, to renew a covenant.
I want us to restore our relationship, to make a new covenant, to grow toward a new place of faith and trust. We are complex and incomplete beings. We are easily hurt. It is easy to hurt. We are often as clumsy with each other as we are with ourselves.