TO FORGIVE someone is not easy. It is a process to heal someone’s heart. The pain that was engraved on a person’s heart is not easily removed. It takes time to forgive and to forget. It will take a lot of courage for someone to forgive the person who really hurt her/him.
They said if you have already forgiven someone, it means that you are no longer a slave of the hurting of the past. But the true essence of forgiveness is about forgetting those traumatic memories and letting go of the past.
You have not fully forgiven the person if you still feel angry or bitter towards them each time you see them.
We cannot deny the fact that we really remember those things that hurt us because it is part of our memories and it is planted in our minds, but try to let the memories be a lesson for you.
There are benefits that you can get if you choose to forgive.
First, you are free from the bondage of grudge. You can now enjoy things freely without lying to yourself that you are happy. Second, you have peace of mind. You are not bothered anymore. And lastly, it will help you to grow and make you a better person.
But if you choose not to forgive, you will suffer forever. You will experience dullness, you easily get irritated and you wasted the times of being happy.
Forgiveness is a heavy word. It requires enough time to forgive someone. It is not just easily given away. You cannot love others if you have hatred in your heart.
We might have different kinds of experiences in life but we should not still forget that God has forgiven us and we should also do so.
Choose to forgive. Forgiving is an act of love. (Arrianne Kate S. Arilla, Usep intern)