This eight-chapter Bible study guides readers to biblical forgivenes and spiritual transformation. Chapters include understanding forgiveness in terms of myths and barriers, God's words about it, and concrete steps forward. Each chapter includes five short daily lessons and verses to memorize. Author Donna Pyle shows that forgiving others means recognizing our own sin. It means looking to Jesus and His constant forgiveness toward us. It means sharing that same grace with others. With warmth and honesty, the author draws from her own life experiences and points readers toward Scripture.
The author starts by helping us to identify what forgiveness really is. It is not that we learn not to care because we do care. It is that we learn how to forgive in the way the God commands us. This book asks you to look at your troubles and issues that you hold a grudge or anger for. These can be caused by events within families, friends, etc. But unless we sit down and use this book to actually teach ourselves about us first, we can never let go of what we are harboring in our hearts. Many scriptures are used to put these in perspective.
This book can be used by an individual. I recommend having your bible next to you as you read.
In Matthew West's Forgiveness song he writes: It’s the hardest thing to give away And the last thing on your mind today It always goes to those who don’t deserve It’s the opposite of how you feel When they pain they caused is just too real Takes everything you have to say the word Forgiveness, forgiveness
Human nature is not inclined to forgive. Instead, it is much more likely to grasp onto grudges and nurse bitterness.
In Forgiveness: Received from God – Extended to Others, author Donna Pyle tells about her own fight with unforgiveness when her husband walked out on their marriage. She responded to her pain by hunting up every passage in Scripture about forgiveness she could find. Now she shares her findings with others, helping all find the freeing path of forgiveness. She walks her readers through the Bible to discover exactly what is forgiveness.
She begins to explain forgiveness by telling what it is not. This dispelling of myths is especially helpful to those struggling to let go of hurt. Forgiveness is not about forgetting and it’s not excusing a sin or a crime. It’s not artificial nonchalance–pretending the actions of others were not painful. Forgiveness is not even about the offender–who may or may not be aware of the offense. Forgiveness is about freeing ourselves from the prison of hate and anger.
The study is laid out in Eight Lessons with each Lesson having five days of readings, questions that lead the reader to Scripture, and opportunities to reflect on the Lesson and apply it personally. I especially appreciated the reflection exercises. The questions help the reader to uncover deeply buried grudges and bitterness. Unearthing them and receiving God’s strength to forgive leads to the freedom only found in grace.
The book could be used for personal study, but would also be useful for groups. Each lesson has suggestions for discussion, corporate prayer, and connecting with group members.
One of the best book studies our church Women’s Ministry has yet tackled. Scripture-based and personal. What the world needs now is love… and forgiveness.