Welcome back to the Ask Pastor John podcast, Pastor John.

You shared with me about a conversation you recently had with someone who was wondering

if he could forgive his father when his father did not even admit to having done anything

that needed to be forgiven.

You said that as that conversation unfolded, it proved really fruitful for you and for

the person you were talking with.

Could you take us into that conversation and explain why it was so helpful and explain

what we can all learn about forgiving others?

Right.

The reason it became so helpful is that I saw implications for my own life.

My relationship with my wife, my children, my colleagues, I saw reverberations everywhere.

That very often happens to me when I'm trying to help someone else who asks me a question

sort out their relational issues.

I'm forced to apply those very things to myself and so the insights don't stay at any

kind of theoretical level or even just relevant for others, but they become urgent for

me.

So that was the case and that's why this is on the front burner for me.

So the first thing I was drawn to say to him was, yes, the fullest experience of forgiveness

involves the other person recognizing the wrong that he's done against you and repenting

and asking for forgiveness and then you give forgiveness freely by grace because of what

Christ has done for you and so the offense that's been taken and the offense that was

done are laid down, put aside and not brought up again.

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