When a friend betrayed me, I knew I would need to forgive her, but I wasn’t sure when I’d get over it. Her words pierced deeply inside me, and I felt stunned with pain. Although I had resolved to let everything fade away, for a long time whenever I’d see her I felt tinges of hurt, so I knew I still had bitterness within me towards her. One day, however, God answered my prayers and gave me the ability to let go completely. I was finally free.

Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith, with our Savior extending forgiveness even when He was dying on the cross. Jesus loved those who had nailed Him there, uttering a prayer asking His Father to forgive them. He didn’t hang on to bitterness or anger, but showed grace and love to those who had wronged Him.

This is the perfect time to consider any person we might need to forgive as we follow Jesus’s example in extending His love to those who hurt us. When we ask God through His Spirit to help us forgive, He will come to our aid—even if we take what we think is a long time to forgive. When we do, we are freed from the prison of unforgiveness.



SOURCE: https://livingrightdaily..com.ng/2017/04/where-does-forgiveness-start-from.html