The Sacred Art of Forgiveness: Forgiving Ourselves and Others through God's Grace

by Marcia Ford

Overview

Tap into the power of the Divine. Learn how to forgive—and be forgiven.

Everyone knows that forgiveness is a virtue and a key to emotional, spiritual and even physical well-being. But learning how to actually forgive—or to accept forgiveness, as the case may be—is a sacred art few of us have mastered.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Writing from personal experience and her broad knowledge of many faith traditions, Marcia Ford offers a new perspective on forgiveness and reconciliation, an approach rooted in the Spirit that can be learned by anyone no matter how deep the hurt. Through real-life examples, penetrating reflections, scriptural references and practical suggestions, Ford outlines the steps that one by one can help you to forgive, including:

• Coming to terms with anger, bitterness and resentment
• Understanding the differences between forgiveness and reconciliation
• Taking the initiative, even when you’re the one who’s been wronged
• Strategies for listening “with the heart” in emotionally charged situations
• Knowing when to forgive and forget—and when to forgive and take action
• Ways of allowing the power of the Divine to work through you
• Finding compassion for others—and for yourself
• … and much more

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594731754
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	04/01/2006
Series:	The Art of Spiritual Living
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	3.15(w) x 3.15(h) x 0.44(d)

About the Author

Marcia Ford is a former editor of Christian Retailing magazine, an Explorefaith.org columnist and frequent contributor to Publishers Weekly. The author of eighteen books, including The Sacred Art of Forgiveness: Forgiving Ourselves and Others through God's Grace (SkyLight Paths); Memoir of a Misfit and Traditions of the Ancients, she was the religion editor of The Asbury Park Press for ten years. She is also a former editor with Charisma and Ministries Today magazines and the ibelieve.com website. Her other books include Meditations for Misfits; 101 Most Powerful Promises of the Bible and Restless Pilgrim: The Spiritual Journey of Bob Dylan (with Scott Marshall).

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Why Bother?
2. An Act Of Love
3. It Starts With You
4. Be Immediate
5. Activist Anger
6. Exercise Your Humility
7. The Grace To Forgive
8. Cultivating Compassion
9. Harvesting Forgiveness
10. A Relentlessly Forgiving God
11. Forgiving Yourself
12. When Death Intrudes
13. A Healthy Choice
14. Radical Forgiveness
15. Remembering How To Forget
16. Transformational Forgiveness
17. True Freedom
18. Just Like Me
19. Growing Up
20. Lasting Peace
21. Overlooking The Trivial
22. Forgiveness Is Not Reconciliation
23. Choosing To Reconcile
24. Setting Boundaries
25. Listening With Your Heart
26. Seventy Times Seven
27. Unleashed Joy
28. Accepting Forgiveness
29. Sharing The Blame
30. Can We Forgive God?
31. Tell Your Story

Afterword
Acknowledgments
Credits
Notes
Suggestions For Further Reading

Editorial Reviews

"Worth a hundred other books on prayer and spirituality. Do we want to experience God? There is no better way to start than by forgiving the friend or relative who has hurt us."
—Robert Ellsberg, author of The Saints' Guide to Happiness

“I thought I knew everything there was to know about forgiveness, until I read this book.”
—Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, editor of Yom Kippur Readings: Inspiration, Information and Contemplation and Rosh Hashanah Readings: Inspiration, Information and Contemplation

“I dare a person to finish this book without reflecting on someone due—or overdue—forgiveness. With poignant personal and spiritual examples, Ford guides readers on the path to make this closure happen.”
—Carol Fitzgerald, founder, faithfulreader.com

“A gentle and wise reminder to forgive where you can, and an accessible guide to help when you can’t.”
—Frederic Luskin, PhD, director, Stanford Forgiveness Project, and author of Forgive for Good

“With wit, clarity and candor, Marcia Ford unravels the knots and tangles of complex subjects [with] insights often gained from personal experience.... Affirming and humbling ... evokes a welcome sense of relief, gratitude and hope.”
—Palmer Jones, director, explorefaith.org

From the Publisher