Books Forgiving What You Can't Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again  by Lysa TerKeurst (Author)

"Forgiving What You Can't Forget" by Lysa TerKeurst is a compassionate and insightful book about how to move on, make peace with painful memories, and create a beautiful life despite the lasting impact of hurtful experiences. The book acknowledges that some pains cannot be fully forgotten, but it offers a path to forgiveness and healing that does not depend on the offender's repentance or apology. TerKeurst emphasizes that forgiveness is a choice for one's own healing and freedom, rather than something conditional on fairness or the offender's actions.

The book explores common excuses for resisting forgiveness, the emotional challenges involved, and the importance of setting healthy boundaries to stop being caught in dysfunctional cycles. It highlights how acknowledging pain and rewriting the stories we tell ourselves about past hurts are crucial steps in the healing process. TerKeurst encourages readers to separate their healing from the other person's willingness to change and to trust in God's justice and timing. Forgiveness is presented not as reconciliation necessarily but as releasing the need for retaliation and finding peace.