Forgiveness and Reconciliation

According to Marriage Counseling Ft Myers, making a distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation is appropriate.


Consider this scenario.  Someone has hurt you and has “crossed the line” in doing so.  In other words, your hurt is the result of another person’s wrongdoing.  Yet, they never admit to it or apologize to you.  In time, you come to the point of understanding it, forgiving them in your heart, so that you hold no bitterness against them. 
But now the question is, what about reconciliation?  Should you call the other person and tell them they need to apologize to you (making a list of their infractions, putting them on the defensive)?  Would it be a loss of self-respect to say to yourself, “just forget about it,” and then call your former friend and make believe it never happened?
Although one can unilaterally exercise forgiveness, authentic reconciliation requires two people who are willing to thrash things through and acknowledge fault in order to rebuild the relationship. Unfortunately, if that is not forthcoming, it leaves a void in your heart of which it seems that little can be done. Marriage Counseling Estero suggests that you  remain ready to forgive should the other person ask to be forgiven.  
If you are struggling with pain and forgiveness in your marriage, contact Dr. Ken Newberge View his process to help at www.MarriageCounserlingAlt.com/couples.htm. Then call him at 239-689-4266.