The Nature of Forgiveness

1. act of forgiving; state of being forgiven. 2. disposition or willingness to forgive.
Random House Webster's unabridged dictionary

This definition doesn't have enough information, so I'm including the definition of forgive:

1. to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc); absolve. 2. to give up all claim on account of; remit (a debt, obligation, etc.) 3. to grant pardon to (a person). 4. to cease to feel resentment against 5 . to cancel an indebtedness or liability 6. to pardon an offense or an offender.
Random House Webster's unabridged dictionary

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to forgive someone? Have you noticed that it is easier to forgive a stranger than your family and close friends? What about forgiving yourself? I feel it is harder to forgive myself? I have pondered over these questions for years and here are my conclusions. Basically, I have found that forgiving people became easier when I realized that the act of forgiveness isn't for those who have wronged me, but it is for my own best interest. Lewis B. Smedes said "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." I hadn't thought of forgiveness in this light before, but I believe he is right.

Holding on to old hurts and anger can cause a bitterness to arise within you. This bitterness of being a victim or feeling like a helpless victim can cause more harm to you spiritually, mentally, and emotionally than the original event/situation. I wouldn't be surprised to find that it affects you physically as well. When I tell you to practice forgiveness I'm not discounting the event or situation that happened to you. It happened, it was awful and it shouldn't have happened. But it did. It's in the past. Do not let it rob you of your future and mess with your present. Let it go. Forgive the person(s) involved. Forgive all who were involved in the event or situation. It will free you from bondage.