Forgiveness

Forgiveness. We've heard about it since we were little kids. We've been taught forgiveness at church, from our parents, from our teachers, and yet it's still such a hard thing for people to do. To TRULY forgive someone (to me) means that we are able to stop feeling resentment or anger towards someone for something we feel the other has done to harm them and to FORGET about what happened and go on with your life. To truly put aside any feelings of illwill towards the other person for that offense. To forget about that wrong and go on without feeling that resentment.

That's the hard part, isn't it? To forget. I'll admit, it's been very hard for me to forgive some people in my life. Many people say they have forgiven others, but have they forgotten enough to be able to go on with their lives as if the offense didn't happen? When they see that person again, do they still have those lingering feelings of anger or resentment? Do they still bring it up occasionally when something happens that reminds them of the incident? I can be accused of that and I was wrong each time I did it. But why do some people have such a hard time moving past those things and going forward with their life? Life is hard enough without harboring old resentments and anger.

I don't know the answer of how to forgive and forget. But I know that Jesus forgave his persecutors that hung him on the cross. I will try my best to truly forgive all those who have hurt me. I hope those who feel I have hurt them will let me know how they feel, and then try their best to forgive me.