5 Reasons Why You Should Forgive as Soon as Possible

When hurt by someone, people often choose hatred and anger instead of forgiveness. Some even turn hatred into motivation to act or achieve better accomplishments. But will holding on to resentment do any good for our souls? Certainly not.

It truly is not easy to forgive. But choosing to keep holding a grudge and storing up pain will not bring you any benefit either. If the person who hurt you suffers, will you be happy and at peace? Maybe yes, but believe this: that peace will only last for a moment. That feeling of pleasure will change as the life of the person you hate gradually gets better.

Forgiveness is the best way to move on with life. The following suggestions may help you forgive yourself as well as others.

1. It is not your fault, nor anyone else's

Everything that happened was indeed supposed to happen. Not because it was anyone's fault, but because it was meant to be that way. Stop blaming yourself and others for what caused that event. Let it go, and you will become stronger afterward.

Constantly looking for other people's faults will leave you with no energy to keep living. God will also close His ears to your harmful prayers. Do not stain your heart with hatred and cursing. The universe has its own way of returning what was lost and taken from you. Forgive and be patient!

2. Hating Is Not the Best Thing You Can Do

Ask yourself, “Is holding a grudge and continuing to hate the best thing I can do?” Or, “It turns out I can take a step toward becoming a better person by choosing to forgive.” When you learn to forgive, it is actually you who are growing, not the person you hate.

Maybe you often hear, “It's so good for them if they're forgiven!”

Try thinking about this: through that event, God was actually instructing two people to learn. You learn to forgive, or the other person is taught to apologize. Do your part, and be proud because you have successfully passed one test of life.

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Mat 6:14)

3. Think about the consequences if you do not forgive

If you choose not to forgive, your soul will keep feeling uneasy. It may be that at every moment you do not feel happiness. Fear may even slowly eat away at you. Your anger and resentment can be used by the devil for things that are even worse.

Do you want to be like that forever? You will lose twice over if so. Perhaps your enemy will be glad because you become unable to move on with life.

“For if I have forgiven anything—if there was anything to forgive—I have done so for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Kor 2:10)

4. Forgive them, and take the lesson from it

Remember the story of Joseph? All the bad things that happened to him actually brought Joseph to become the right hand of the most powerful person in Egypt.

“This is what you shall say to Joseph: Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you. So now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father. And Joseph wept when they spoke this to him.” (Kej 50:17)

The blessings of God grew more and more abundant upon Joseph because he forgave his brothers who sold him as a slave to Egypt. When they bowed down and asked for forgiveness, Joseph said:

"Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring about what has happened now, the saving of many lives." (Kej 50:19-20)

Your steps will feel lighter if you decide to forgive, then take the wisdom from it. Maybe by going through that event, you become stronger; you achieve something; you move to a better place. Receive those blessings and give thanks because you were chosen to experience them.

5. Say to yourself: I forgive you

Every morning, say this to yourself: “I forgive you for the events that will happen and those that have not yet happened. I love you when you are wrong and when you succeed in doing many things.”

Demanding yourself to do everything perfectly will make your soul weary, so that you forget to be happy. Appreciate your achievements, no matter how small, and you will become a very rich person.

So, are you ready to make the decision to forgive?

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• Giving Others a Second Chance
• Making Peace with the Past
• The Secret Recipe for True Joy
• The 10 Commandments: Too Restrictive and a Barrier to Success?