Is it even possible to forgive without first reconciling?  After all, how can you forgive when you cannot trust the other person?

Forgiveness is not about trusting the other person’s behavior.  Instead, on its highest level, to forgive is to strive to love the other person, to acknowledge this person’s inherent worth as a person, even through your own pain caused by the other’s injustice.  To offer this love, you do not have to trust that the other now will behave with moral goodness toward you.  Forgiveness may open the door of your heart to consider reconciliation if the other’s behavior now is safe for you.

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