Learn How To Forgive Someone

Do you ever see or think about a person and immediately have feelings of irritation or maybe even anger? If so, you might have an area where you need to forgive! Unforgiveness can affect both your spiritual growth and mental health. Let’s examine what forgiveness looks like and how to apply it. Forgiveness is the act of addressing the issue, releasing the other person and hurt, then blessing the person who hurt you. But sometimes forgiveness can feel confusing due to some misconceptions like the idea of "forgive and forget" or that forgiveness is for the other person and requires a confrontation. Though these misconceptions can be part of the forgiveness process, they don’t always need to be used. Taking a step back from the situation allows you to follow these simple steps. First, you need to identify the area of unforgiveness. If this is difficult, then ask the people that know and love you best to help point you in the right direction. Next go before God and tell Him about it. He already knows so don’t hold back. The final step in forgiveness is praying and asking the Lord to help you forgive. Simply pray a short prayer acknowledging the hurt, releasing the person to God, and blessing them. Depending on the scale of pain you are dealing with, forgiveness may require this process multiple times. If needed, seek help from trusted friends and relationships. Keep in mind that forgiveness is between you and God, NOT you and the other person. When you make the choice to forgive, the other person doesn’t necessarily change, but you move forward free and clear to live a full and healthy life.