4. Our thoughts and actions determine who we become

One of the more valuable lessons that Jared learned from this new journey of forgiveness is that challenges don't determine who we are; rather, our responses to those challenges determine who we become. What a realization this was to Jared! It wasn't how people treated him; it was his response to that treatment that determined the outcome of his life. When he greeted the treatment of others with forgiveness, he was able to move on. In fact, forgiveness empowered him to move on, knowing that he was taking the higher road.