As it has been said, it is better to give than to receive. So too, it must be realized that forgiveness is quite obviously a form of giving, which more of us, need to practice in our interactions with others. In truth, to forgive, especially when we have been deeply hurt or betrayed, is not an easy task, but God, in God’s infinite mercy, has provided us with the time and the consciousness to go about and do that very thing. Indeed, to forgive someone that we know has our best interests in mind, but has made an error, is something that many of us actually can do, especially when provided with enough time to do so. A much harder task, though, is to forgive those that we feel don’t deserve our forgiveness, but in the skein of time, it is to our own benefit to be forgiving, for that which we hold onto which is a negative emotion, is not going to be beneficial to us, and further is not becoming of those that believe that each of us, no matter our merits or lack, thereof, is deserving of God’s unconditional love.
Look, it has to be said, that if our God was a God that was easily offended, and therefore easily hurt, we would know for a certainty, that God would thereby have an “attitude” towards our bad behavior because God would feel disappointment in us. Yet, God does not do this to us, for God is ever willing to accept us in open arms, whether we are good or bad, because no matter our behavior, or our mistakes, God accepts us, unconditionally, and never gives up on any of us, because God knows who and what we really are in essence, and because of that, God will never forsake its own.
When we look at our life, there are probably plenty of times, when we are called to be the bigger person, and therefore to forgive those who have hurt us, and to thus express that viewpoint to them, so that they know that they have been truly forgiven which is a valued gift to give. it is in the understanding, that all of us, are flawed, and have said or done things in a fit of anger or stupidity that have hurt the other, that we need to thereby maintain consistency in our viewpoint – for we typically believe when we have done wrong to the other, that given enough time, we should be provided with a second chance, and therefore forgiven.
There is nobody and no soul, that is forever mired in mud, who cannot eventually be cleansed; rather, inside every one of us is the ability to be a better person, and those then that lend a helping hand to mistake and error-prone people, are helping to make society a better place – for in actuality those that are not ever forgiven are the very same, that will tend to give up on their own self, making for a nasty brew -- for an encouraging and forgiving word will oftentimes do more to right the ship and to therefore bring back normalcy than to be harsh and unforgiving in our outlook towards someone that has hurt us, for we have in our hands the volition to forgive, and in that forgiveness to give goodness over resentment