In yesterday's message Bethany Seipp spoke about going through process steps to get to forgiveness. Here is that outline - The Enright Process Model. It's great stuff. Remember: Not all answers to our lives will be quick or easy, but they will be fruitful if we can stay in the will of God.
ENRIGHT FORGIVENESS PROCESS MODEL
PRELIMINARIES
- Who hurt you?
- How deeply were you hurt?
- On what specific incident will you focus?
- What was said? How did you respond?
PHASE I—UNCOVERING YOUR ANGER
- How have you avoided dealing with anger?
- Have you faced your anger?
- Are you afraid to expose your shame or guilt?
- Has your anger affected your health?
- Have you been obsessed about the injury or the offender?
- Do you compare your situation with that of the offender?
- Has the injury caused a permanent change in your life?
- Has the injury changed your worldview?
PHASE 2—DECIDING TO FORGIVE
- Decide that what you have been doing hasn’t worked.
- Be willing to begin the forgiveness process.
- Decide to forgive.
PHASE 3—WORKING ON FORGIVENESS
- Work toward understanding.
- Work toward compassion.
- Accept the pain.
- Give the offender a gift (empathy, compassion, etc…)
PHASE 4—DISCOVERY AND RELEASE FROM EMOTIONAL PRISON
- Discover the meaning of suffering.
- Discover your need for forgiveness.
- Discover that you are not alone.
- Discover the purpose of your life.
- Discover the freedom of forgiveness.
©R. Enright (2001). Forgiveness Is a Choice. Washington, D.C.: APA Books