A Fresh Act
Douglas V. Steere
Forgiveness is a condition in which the sin of the past is not altered or its inevitable consequences changed. Rather, in forgiveness a fresh act is added to those of the past, which restores the broken relationship and opens the way for th eone who forgives and the one who is forgiven to meet and communicate deeply with each other in the present and future. Thus, forgiveness heals the past, though the scars remain and the consequences go on. These keep the sinner humble. But now the past can no longer throttle. It is taken into the fresh act of outgoing renewal and there it is healed.
from Forgiveness: Perspectives On Making Peace With Your Past
