“Bitterness and Forgiveness” Links and Recommended Resources

The following are Bitterness and Forgiveness Links and Recommended Resources to help you in your forgiveness journey. And that’s what it often is… a journey to forgiving those who have hurt us. Or perhaps your journey is one where you need to be forgiven. It may even be that you need to forgive yourself. Whatever it is, we pray these forgiveness links will minister to your spirit and to your marriage.

FORGIVENESS LINKS to WEB SITES:

• BIBLE VERSES ABOUT FORGIVING EACH OTHER — This web site gives a long list of Bible quotes on forgiving each other as posted on the web site for the Open Bible.

• BIBLE VERSES ON BITTERNESS AND FORGIVENESS — Scriptures posted on this web site.

• FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION — This is a 7-part series that is featured on the Focus on the Family web site. Rose Sweet wrote this series of articles. It covers numerous aspect of forgiveness. This includes the “Freedom in Forgiveness.” She also talks about building trust. Plus she discusses what reconciliation COULD look like.

• FORGIVENESS BIBLE VERSES

• FORGIVENESS QUOTES — This web site link takes you to a long list of quotes centering on the subject of forgiveness.

• QUOTES ON BITTERNESS AND FORGIVENESS — These quotes are posted on the Marriage Missions web site.

ALSO:

• The PERFECT APOLOGY Website — This web site will help you to “learn the most effective and creative ways to say sorry. Find great examples, unique ideas, and every answer you need to uncover and deliver that perfect apology™ to your girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, friends, customers, clients and partners.”

• THE FORGIVENESS PROCESSING TOOL: This is an exercise tool you can use where “you’ll be prayer processing your emotions regarding a certain unmet expectation, boundary violation, or area of conflict that you’ve allowed to linger to a simmering resentment.” When you’re wrestling with bitterness and unforgiveness towards your spouse or someone else, this is a great tool to use to help you work through your emotions.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don’t Deserve -by Lewis B Smedes, published by Harper One. This book isn’t exclusively for marriage, but it includes it. It deals with the topic of forgiveness from minor “slights” to devastating hurts. Essentially it helps you to reach out for the healing that eludes those who cling onto unforgiveness. As the author says: “The only way to heal the pain that will not heal itself is to forgive the person who hurt you. Forgiving stops the reruns of pain. Forgiving heals your memory as you change your memory’s vision.” This book answers many of my questions that can plague us on the issue of forgiveness. It is a terrific book, and is worth reading more than once. We recommend it highly!

• Shame and Grace: Healing the Shame We Don’t Deserve is written by Lewis B Smedes. published by Harper One. This book deals with recognizing and remedying the undeserved shame that burdens our spirit and crushes whatever joy we could obtain. You may persistently feel you don’t measure up. You feel shame — that “vague”, undefined heaviness that presses on our spirit. It dampens our gratitude for the goodness of life,” and diminishes our joy. The good news is that shame can be healed. With warmth and wit, Lewis B. Smedes examines why and how we feel shamed. He also presents a profound, spiritual plan for healing.

Plus:

• The New Freedom of Forgiveness -by David Augsburger, published by Moody Publishers. “Seventy times seven …How many times shall I forgive? Our Lord answers us clearly that our forgiveness of those who hurt us shall have no end. This is one of the most difficult things any person has to face. David Augsburger understands this. He knows the outrageous cost and incomparable value of forgiving. He also knows this is a believer’s only option. Any other course of action will not only be destructive, it will violate the will of God.

Combining personal testimonies with Scripture, Dr. Augsburger provides readers with practical guidance on applying forgiveness in our everyday lives. With a new study guide contained within the book, you will be challenged on an even deeper level.”

• The Five Languages of Apology: How to Experience Healing in All Your Relationships -by Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas, published by Northfield Publishing. This book is written to help people learn the art of apology. As one of the authors said, “I believe that people have different ways of apologizing. And what one person considers a sincere apology is not what another person may consider a sincere apology. In essence, they have different languages of apology.” The first half of the book goes into the research on this and identifies and describes each of the five languages of apology. The second half illustrates how to enhance relationships through what they’re teaching about apologizing. As they say, “What would the world be like if we all learned to apologize effectively?

Also:

• When Forgiveness Doesn’t Make Sense is written by Robert Jeffress. It and is published by Waterbrook Press. Pastor Jeffress approaches the subject of forgiveness in a very readable way. He comes from an angle that is new. “Forgiveness, according to Jeffress, is more for the victim than the offender, to prevent the festering of bitterness in the heart of the person wronged.” He points out “various possible responses from all parties involved. He discusses forgiveness as it is related to forgetting. (It is not the same as forgetting, he emphasizes.) Jeffress also discusses consequences, repentance and reconciliation.”

• When You Can’t Say “I Forgive You”: Breaking the Bonds of Anger and Hurt is written Grace Ketterman and David Hazard. It is published by NavPress Publishing. This book acknowledges that three of the hardest words to utter in any language are “I forgive you.” ” It “walks you step by step along the path of complete forgiveness. This is forgiveness that admits pain, attempts to understand the other person, and finally, lets go. Licensed physician Grace Ketterman validates this counsel by sharing her own shocking story of divorce, shame, and reconciliation. Through her gentle approach, compelling stories, and David’s teaching, you will discover the power to make it through the process of forgiveness.”