Forgiveness is an issue that Christians will deal with until their dying day. It is not just ‘forgetting’: withholding full forgiveness comes at a cost, whether physical (lowered immunity), emotional (anxiety, depression, difficult relationships, anger, bitterness, etc.) or spiritual (putting a barrier between us and God).
This book takes a hard look at one’s heart in the midst of painful situations where wrongs have occurred. It challenges our own attitudes towards being sinned against, and how by not forgiving we continue in sin.
The book is written like a one-to-one counselling session. The author (herself a counsellor) ends each chapter with personal, heart-searching ‘Reflection questions’. She is no stranger to the difficulty of forgiveness and shares her struggles with us, all the while grounded in Scripture.
Readers would benefit most if they engage with the material of the book through journalling their own responses, perhaps focusing on a time when they struggled to forgive. There is a helpful chapter on what forgiveness is not.
Moving on also highlights the lack of forgiveness in everyday situations, bringing to light attitudes we can retain which reveal a lack of actual forgiveness.
The book is in harmony with the Christian Counselling & Education Foundation, and those who appreciate their books will appreciate this as well. It is a valuable resource for anyone desiring to live in a God-honouring way.
Julia Milner
Northampton
