Excusing or Forgiving?

My friend Dr. Richard Smith tells of counseling a woman who had been gang raped as a teen. Although she was a believer and said she had forgiven the men, years later the trauma still haunted her.

            “Oh what grounds did you forgive the men who raped you,” Richard asked her.

            “On the same grounds that Christ did,” she replied: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”