Acknowledge your emotions about the harm done to you, recognize how those emotions affect your behavior, and work to release them. Choose to forgive the person who's offended you. Release the control and power that the offending person and situation have had in your life.
Forgiveness has four stages: hate, hurt, heal, come together. (This model was inspired by Louis Smedes' book, “Forgive and Forget.” I've reordered Smedes' words, and I've changed my understanding of what each phase of the process means.)
But I have felt that the ultimate form of love for God and men is forgiveness. He met the test. What of us? Perhaps we shall not be called upon to give our lives for our friends or our faith (though perhaps some shall), but it is certain that every one of us has and will have occasion to confront the other challenge.
The greatest act of forgiveness was Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of the world. For everyone that accepts Jesus as savior they do not have to go to hell when they die. Jesus forgives past sins at baptism and jesus forgives the present/future sins at death.
Additionally, we can live out the Golden Rule by forgiving others as we would like to be forgiven. This means letting go of grudges and resentment, extending a hand of reconciliation, and seeking restoration in relationships.
Mandela received numerous honours, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for his impeccable forgiving lifestyle. Mandela's lifestyle of forgiveness is an example to the entire human race.
Often the hardest person to forgive is yourself.
There are three types of love ranging from Eros and Phileo, but the highest form of love is Agape. Desire to help someone be the best that they can be. It is steadfast, unchanging,committed love.
Justification is better than forgiveness. Forgiveness is wonderful, but justification goes even deeper. you may have done something you shouldn't have done, and you can be forgiven for it. But justification removes the guilt.
Can you forgive someone and still be angry? Yes, but it depends. If you're angry and want retribution, you likely haven't sincerely forgiven the other person. But if you're angry and working toward moving past it, you're probably just experiencing the normal flow of emotions.
Based on the responses to these two questions, our research shows that Diplomats are by far the most likely Role to view themselves as forgiving, while Analysts are the least likely. This makes sense, as Diplomats are all Feeling personality types, and Analysts are all Thinking types.
God is ready and willing to forgive you. Unlike a human being, He does not hold grudges or need time before He will forgive you. You can have forgiveness right now: Confess that you have sinned, and ask for God to forgive you. It's that simple.
But first, it is important to state that forgiving someone does NOT make what they did right. You are not saying, "It's okay," because was not okay to hurt you. Rather, you are choosing to let go of the bitterness while remembering your boundaries. You don't have to be friendly with them again.
He needs a chance to talk about it. Even if he did know about what you're apologizing about, he still needs a chance to talk about what he's feeling and why. Give him an opportunity to speak about why what you did hurt him.
In His strength, we can forgive those who seem undeserving; we can forgive again; we can forgive that which feels unforgivable; and we can finally trade our festering burs of hurt for the vine of His grace-filled redeeming fruit. The choice to forgive is ours today. Even when it still hurts.
Agape is the highest level of love to offer. It's given without any expectations of receiving anything in return.
The power to sacrifice yourself and all your things for love is one of the highest acts of love. Putting someone else's needs before your own is the most you can do and not expecting it back requires a lot of courage that people rarely have.
Consideration is the highest form of love, showing selfless care and empathy. It means understanding and valuing another's feelings and needs. This form of love involves active listening and thoughtful actions.
There are situations when it's OK not to forgive someone. Here are just a few examples: You're still feeling the effects of their actions or experiencing PTSD because of how you were treated (particularly for childhood abuse).
Introduction. Women are generally believed to be more forgiving than men, due to their personality traits such as agreeableness and empathy, and their valuing relationships (Miller et al., 2008).
The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest.
Matthew 6:14 (NIV)
"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." It's important to remember that forgiveness scriptures like Matthew 6:14 remind us that, since God forgives us, we, too, must offer forgiveness to those who have wronged us.
Forgiveness actually embodies three different things, each of which applies to different situations and provides different results. The three types of forgiveness are: exoneration, forbearance and release.
One example comes from Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God has forgiven you.” In this sentence, Paul has summarized the biblical message: that we are to be kind, compassionate and forgiving.