Forgiveness as a Choice and Ongoing Process

Forgiveness, according to TerKeurst, is both a decisive moment and a continual journey. She details this dual nature by differentiating between the initial decision to forgive specific facts and the prolonged process of forgiving the emotional impact of those facts. TerKeurst notes, 'The decision to forgive acknowledges the facts of what happened. But the much longer journey of forgiveness is around all the many ways these facts affected you—the impact they created.' Through vivid examples of her own experiences, she illustrates how forgiveness of deep hurts requires time and repeated effort.