Why Is forgiveness so hard ?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness as "to grant pardon for or remission of 
an offense," debt; absolve. To cease to feel resentment against: 
to forgive one's enemies.


Forgiveness may be considered simply in terms of the person who forgives including forgiving themselves, in terms of the person forgiven and or in terms of the relationship between the forgiver and the person forgiven. 

Most world religions include teachings on the nature of forgiveness, and many of these teachings provide an underlying basis for many varying modern day traditions and practices of forgiveness. Some religious doctrines or philosophies place greater emphasis on the need for humans to find some sort of divine forgiveness for their own shortcomings, others place greater emphasis on the need for humans to practice forgiveness of one another.

BUT I ASK WHY IS FORGIVENESS SO HARD ?

Forgiveness involves recognizing that the person who harmed us is more than just the person who harmed us. He or she is in fact, whether we want to acknowledge it or not, is a human being whose full dimension isn't defined by their foolish decision to harm or wrong us. At its core I believe forgiveness is an acknowledgment that a person who's harmed us still has the capacity for good.

Forgiveness means swallowing your pride and moving forward for a greater good.

How does forgiving others benefit us?

In order to forgive we must let go of our anger.

If we continue to hold onto anger, it often leaks out against others who've committed no crime against us, as well as colors all our experiences, often ruining our ability to feel joy in many aspects of life.

now how does this affect or apply to my life.

From what I see its easy to preach forgiveness, but to implement it in your life is a completely different thing, many people can sell the idea but they are not buying it themselves.

With my son on the way I can truly say the best way to teach forgiveness to my son is in my actions, not in my speech nor my religious beliefs.

All of these things mean nothing yes I said mean nothing if not applied in daily life.

The most righteous man is as wretched as a sinner if he can't teach in his actions and not his empty words.

Forgiveness

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”


The word “forgiveness” means different things to different people and is often hard to do. Instead of “forgiveness,” I like the word “insight" (human behavior).
There are many barriers to forgiveness, a few of which are fear, anger, resentment, and depression; many of the same conditions that dissipate when we do forgive.
Is forgiveness a choice?

Can we overcome barriers to forgiveness by pausing before we react to someone or something?
Sometimes quick reactions are in our best interest such as in pulling a child from the path of an oncoming car. Stress in the right dose serves us well. But an overdose is often counter productive as in panicking during a fire in a theatre. Granted, with some circumstances in life forgiveness like grief is a process that should not be accelerated.

Forgiveness is a powerful gift that releases us from the bondage of past failures, hurts and disappointments. It is a principle of success that few discuss in regard to the impact it has on both our personal and professional lives.
I cannot change yesterday, but I can make the choice whether to learn, grow and move on from past mistakes and misfortunes, or allow them to control my emotional well being today and what my attitude will be in the future.
The need for forgiveness in our lives is directly proportional to the degree of which we have failed, been hurt, or victimized. The more I have experienced these destructive encounters the greater degree of forgiveness is needed to mend the damage done.

ASK YOURSELF, CAN I NOT ONLY FORGIVE SOMEONE WHO HAS WRONGED ME
BUT CAN I FORGIVE MYSELF FOR THE WRONG I DO TO MYSELF AND OTHERS.