In Chapter 3 of Let It Go, T.D. Jakes describes 4 steps essential to developing an attitude of forgiveness:
1. Develope self-awareness regarding how you monitor and manage your reactionary thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. While we can’t control the offenses that come our way, we can control our responses.
2. Don’t allow your emotions to control you- control your emotions. When your emotions control you, Bishop Jakes likens that to being a “prisoner without a jail cell”.
3. Understand that forgiveness requires greater strength of character and maturity than unforgiveness, rather than the other way around. Unforgiveness is not a strength and forgiveness does not make you more vulnerable.
4. See the issue, not the individual, as the enemy. You want to resolve a conflict, not defeat an adversary.
Do Bishop Jakes’ observations make sense to you? Do any particular statements give you a different perspective on forgiveness?
