Are forgiveness and trust the same thing?

Though forgiveness doesn't depend on anyone's repentance, trust certainly does. Trust discerns if the offender is a safe person or not. Were they simply ignorant in their actions?  Or if they intentionally caused hurt, are they repentant? Have they changed? Or do they intend to continue to cause damage? 

Forgiveness is a heart attitude. Trust is an activity. Trust actively removes the armor that guards your heart from someone. Trust allows the offender to see and have access to your vulnerable parts. Trust extends phileo (friendship) love.

There is nothing sweeter than the unity of believers. Christ was very clear about the importance of restoring relationships and the steps that should be taken to do so. (Matthew 18). However, Christ also outlines the steps required to restore those relationships and the boundaries that should be drawn when someone refuses to repent.

Trust can only come after we’ve allowed God to heal the heart. Trust should come after full repentance on the part of the offender and after the Lord has prompted you that it is safe to move towards the restoration of a phileo relationship - rather than continuing to simply be a channel of His love.

We are often able to convince ourselves that we have fully forgiven someone, but just aren’t able to trust them yet….and that, in and of itself, is perfectly natural. However, the true test of the state of our heart is if we hope to trust them again. Do we hope to restore the relationship? Do we hope that things can be better some day? Do we pray for it? Do we keep our hearts open and willing? Are we willing for God to do miracles?

Thinking of yesterday's verse...can you see how God may be the same with us? How once again, he gives us the example? He forgives us for His own sake, based on Who He is. However, the way He shepherds us is quite dependent on our behavior, isn't it? 

Sometimes the lines between forgiveness and trust can seem blurry. But really there shouldn't be a line between...more like a line pointing from one to the other. Forgiveness is the beginning. Trust is the goal. A willing heart draws the line from one to the other, just as the Lord shows us.