VIDEO: Forgiveness after Betrayal Is a Process | His Grace

Katie saw her father as a hero until he was arrested for misconduct as a teacher. She felt shocked and betrayed. The pain was deep. She was emotionally exhausted and couldn’t face her responsibilities.

Standing in a room where her children’s toys littered the floor, she received a phone call from her father. She thought of the good memories while growing up. She relied on her belief in Jesus Christ and found peace and strength as she considered how He forgave imperfect people who made big mistakes.

“Forgiving him doesn’t mean that you’re OK with his actions,” she said. “It means that you’re not going to dwell on his actions.”

Seeking peace from the weight of the hurt she felt, she “worked really hard by calling him, by visiting him, by not completely severing that tie.” Katie found strength and comfort in prayer to get through the day.

Forgiveness is a process, she said, explaining that it takes work to forgive, more than just the passing of time. “[Forgiveness] came because I was looking for it. It came because I was working for it.”