Read

2 Corinthians 5:19

Forgiveness is not:

• pretending nothing happened

• denying hurt

• excusing evil

• suppressing pain

The father never denied the son's rebellion.

The loss was real.

The pain was real.

The separation was real.

Yet none of these became the son's identity.

Forgiveness is refusing to define a person by their worst moment.

Reflection

How does forgiveness change when it becomes:

"I refuse to define you by your sin"?