Forgiveness, Part 2 (Episode 2 - Archive)Forgiveness, Part 2 (Episode 2 - Archive)
Relational Recovery
Hosts Wes Thompson and Austin Hill talk about forgiveness as a pathway to healing, especially for those caught in self-hatred and addiction. They connect Christian beliefs about God’s love and human worth with practical exercises for practising self-forgiveness over the long haul.
5:38•4 Oct 2026
Forgiveness, Self-Worth and God’s Love in Relational Recovery
Episode Overview
- Forgiveness, especially self-forgiveness, is presented as a crucial step towards healing from self-hatred and destructive behaviour.
- The hosts stress that every person has inherent value because they are made in God’s image, even when they don’t feel lovable.
- A practical exercise is suggested: treat yourself as kindly as you would a loved one who made the same mistakes, and consider the grace you would extend to them.
- Healing is described as a slow, long-term process without instant breakthroughs, requiring patience and persistence.
- Listeners are encouraged to keep speaking truths about God’s love and their worth, even when those truths don’t yet feel believable.
“Even if you don’t like yourself, God likes you. But even more so, God loves you.”
What drives someone to seek a life without the constant weight of shame and self-hatred? This archived conversation from Relational Recovery picks up the theme of forgiveness and pushes it straight into the heart of day-to-day recovery. Host Wes Thompson, joined by co-host Austin Hill, talks frankly about how forgiveness isn’t just a “nice Christian idea” but a practical pathway towards healing.
You’ll hear them unpack the idea that, “forgiveness leads us towards healing,” especially when it comes to forgiving yourself. Wes reflects on how learning to “tolerate God’s love” can begin to weaken the grip of self-harm, self-disgust and that familiar inner script of, “I’m a piece of crap anyway.” Drawing on biblical theology, they remind listeners that being made in God’s image means every person has inherent value, even when they don’t like themselves very much.
As Wes puts it, “even if you don’t like yourself, God likes you. But even more so, God loves you.” That simple statement cuts to the core for anyone stuck in addiction, convinced they’re unlovable or beyond repair. Austin offers a practical exercise for practising self-forgiveness: imagine someone you deeply care about—your child, spouse or sibling—making the same mistake you did.
Would you want them to live forever in guilt, or would you long for them to move towards freedom and relationship? If that grace is good enough for them, why isn’t it good enough for you? They’re honest that this is slow work. There are no “lightning bolt” moments promised here, just encouragement to keep “speaking the truths” about God’s love—even when they don’t yet feel true.
For anyone walking the long road of recovery, this gentle, faith-rooted conversation asks a bold question: what might change if you really believed you are worth loving?
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