I have had my fair share of betrayal by friends, family and acquaintances. I have hurt for weeks over a boy, I have cried over someone else's actions and I have fought with family members to what I thought was beyond repair. I have also done my fair share of hurting, breaking hearts, lying, and betrayal because lets be serious, no one is perfect. But I have learned that forgiving people and being forgiven, is so much more of a relief than trying to keep up with the hurt. Although I have forgiven people that are not sorry and I have forgiven people when they do not see a wrong doing in their actions; forgiving them released all of the hurt inside of me.

Sometimes I forgive people because I still want them in my life, but holding on to the pain and mistakes a person has made will drag out the hurt inside of you and turn it to a deeper bitterness. If you are treating someone as they treated you, this does not make you better or even, it makes you worse. You know first hand the pain someone is suffering, and you choose to inflict the same pain on them. Do not retaliate, do not treat someone how they treat you, always treat someone better than they treat you. If you can find it in yourself to forgive every situation that no longer benefits you, you win every single time. Not only are you freeing yourself, but you could be helping the person that wronged you. They probably tear themselves up for whatever they did, and that can be harmful mentally. If you can find a way to forgive them, they can forgive themselves.

Regardless of the pain, the sin or the outcome, you have to forgive those have hurt you because it is not benefiting you to hang on to that hate. I know this is easier said than done, but I am passionate about letting it go. Even if you are not normally this kind of person, you can wake up one morning and just feel forgiveness for people. You will feel better, I promise.