LEARNING HOW TO FORGIVE

Hello there readers, it's time to learn something huge and important. And everyone needs to have this - FORGIVENESS.

One of the biggest challenge you will face in your quest for a happier life is learning how to forgive. People mistakenly believe that if they forgive someone who has harmed them, they approve of the offensive behavior. But this is not so. If you forgive someone who steals from you, it means you accept the reality of the situation and want to move forward to better and more productive things.

Additionally, forgiving is not necessarily something you do for the benefit of someone who has wronged you. First and foremost, forgiving is a process that is for your own personal benefit. Walking around with anger and resentment is extremely unhealthy. Therefore, learning how to forgive is a way to lighten your load. Life is difficult enough. When you forgive someone who stole from you, you release the resentment toward the thief that unhealthily burdened you. This does not mean that you must forget the event. It simply means you set yourself free from the negative feelings associated with the person who wronged you. 

Though it takes a great deal of emotional work to forgive, it is worth it. Your mental, physical, and emotional health will improve when you  no longer feel the need to hold on to grudges, hurts and wrongs. 

You have to realize that forgiveness is a process. It is not easy as it sound, but in order to get free from the prison, you are the key to your own forgiving attitude. There are steps that often work to achieving forgiveness. Well, you have to acknowledge your feeling by letting the person know that he or she hurt you. Then, tell the person who offended you that their words or actions were unacceptable, and be prepared to accept an apology. Do not rush any of these steps, and take solace in the fact that forgiveness is a difficult and slow process for most of us. 

A natural response to being wronged is anger. So, learn how to control your anger. Too many of us hang on to resentment and allow it to become who we are. But it is important to let go or else our biggest wounds may become our foremost identity. Learn to drop your identity as the victim and replace it with something healthy and inspiring. Feeling free is one of the many keys to being a more joyful person. 

Now, when you are in a relationship, here's the thing. Apologize when you have done something wrong. Most relationships become stronger after an argument that ends with a heartfelt apology. Both receiving and offering an apology can help reinstate lost confidence in a partner, friend, or coworker. Strong relationships are built on trust, which comes from knowing that people can take responsibility for themselves and also graciously accept flaws in others. Therefore, accept or give a deserved apology to further enforce the bonds between you and the people you care about. 

Carrying around your bag of grudges will not bring you any closer to becoming a happier person. To achieve true peace and happiness, integrate the practice of forgiving and being forgiven into your life. 

I have experienced a hurtful forgiving process too and after releasing it and realize how it changed me, I am thankful to it. Even how good you are, there must be a thing that makes you difficult to forgive. But no matter how difficult it is, you still have to forgive! Free yourself! 

Ephesians 4:31

- Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you.

Matthew 6:14-15

- For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.