📖 Excerpted from God Jots: Forgiveness and Healing
When You’re The One Who Hurt You
It’s one thing to forgive someone else. It’s something else entirely when the person who needs your forgiveness is you.
Sometimes we pretend it didn’t happen. Sometimes we hold ourselves hostage to guilt that no one else is asking us to carry. And sometimes, long after the dust settles, we’re still walking around with pieces of it stuck in our chest.
“It took me a long time to realize that if Annie wasn’t there to accept my apology and forgive me, I was going to have to forgive myself. That was hard. Very hard. Because it also meant I had to admit some things about myself to myself that I really didn’t want to admit.”
“Nonetheless, if you’re ever going to move forward, you have to be able to give yourself the space and the Grace.”
Forgiveness, especially when turned inward, isn’t a light switch. It’s a daily rhythm. A willingness to move toward wholeness. Even when you still flinch from your own memory.
You Are Not Your Worst Moment
It’s easy to define yourself by what you regret; what you did, what you didn’t do, who you let down. But shame has a way of shrinking the story. It keeps you locked in one scene when God is still writing the whole script.
“Forgiveness is a key component of emotional well-being. Holding onto grudges, resentment, and anger can take a significant toll on our mental health, whereas letting go of these negative emotions through forgiveness can lead to profound emotional healing and growth.”
And yes, that includes the grudges you hold against yourself. Because self-directed shame can be just as heavy—just as destructive—as anything aimed outward.
“When we choose to forgive, we release ourselves from the burden of negative emotions.”
You don’t have to keep carrying the version of you that made a mess. You’re allowed to grow. And healing doesn’t mean pretending it never happened. It means choosing not to let it define you anymore.
Guilt Is A Terrible GPS
There’s a difference between conviction and condemnation. One leads to healing. The other traps you in regret.
“This is why it’s also very important to be forgiving to yourself. Don’t be shocked if I drill this in ad nauseam. I will readily admit that I spend far too much time angry at, or disappointed in, myself for silly and inconsequential things that, often-times, are well out of my control.”
You’re not growing if you’re just stuck shaming yourself. Growth starts when you let Grace speak louder than guilt.
Forgiving Yourself Is Not Selfish
Forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending you didn’t mess up. It means believing that messing up doesn’t cancel your identity, your calling, or your future.
“When your harshest judge is yourself, you may end up tearing down your own self-esteem. I know that first-hand.”
That voice in your head that says you’re unworthy? That’s not God. That’s your shame trying to hold onto the mic. Time to cut the feed.
Why This Book Might Be The Grace You’ve Been Denying Yourself
If you’ve spent years punishing yourself, God Jots: Forgiveness and Healing is your cue to stop. This chapter doesn’t just explain why you can forgive yourself. It shows you how. Daily. Repetitively. Honestly.
“Forgiveness is something that’s entirely within your power to enact.”
You don’t need to wait for permission. You don’t need to be perfect first. You just need to begin.
Forgiveness And Healing
Whether you’re seeking forgiveness, offering it, or simply trying to understand what it really means, this book meets you exactly where you are. And walks with you from there.
Drawing from biblical truths, real-life stories, and a little irreverent humor (because let’s be honest, healing is hard enough), this book offers practical steps and heartfelt insights for anyone trying to let go of past hurts.