What does true forgiveness look like?

Outline:

Forgiveness is costly

Forgiveness is difficult

Forgiveness is revealing

Forgiveness is transforming.

Questions for Personal Reflection:

1. Does forgiveness come easily or difficult for you? Would you be able to forgive as quickly and completely as the Amish community did? Why or why not?

2. Can you think of a situation where you are continuing to harbor resentment or holding a grudge against someone else? What do you think continues to hold you back from being able to forgive?

3. Can you think of a situation where you were able to forgive another person? What seemed to help you get to that point?

4. The Christian idea of forgiveness is a costly one for the forgiver. What costs come to mind when you think of forgiveness?

5. Re-read Matthew 6:14 -15. How do these verses strike you? What is either comforting or unsettling about them?

6. Can you think of a time that you were forgiven by someone else for something you had done (or left undone)? What effect did that have on you?

7. Pray that your group would experience the loving mercy and forgiveness of Jesus anew and in a way that will make you all more loving and forgiving yourselves!