Forgiveness is not saying that what was done to you is okay.
It is not okay—and it never will be. It was wrong.

Forgiveness is not a feeling.
It is an act of obedience to God’s Word. It is a choice—a deliberate decision to obey Him.

Forgiveness is not the same as healing.
Rather, forgiveness paves the way and opens the door for healing to begin.

Forgiveness is a command. One of the greatest mistakes we can make is thinking that forgiveness is optional—it is not. It is a command from God. Forgiveness means releasing the offender to Him, choosing to place them in His hands.

Because God calls you to forgive, it is something you are able to do through His help.

Some people hold on to anger, believing it will protect them from further hurt. In reality, it only causes deeper harm within. Others desire revenge, but the Bible reminds us:
“It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord (Romans 12:19 NIV).

When you forgive, you are choosing to let God deal with the person. You release them from your hold. As long as you refuse to forgive, you remain tied to that person—chained to the past and bound by bitterness.

Forgiveness breaks those chains. It sets you free.

By forgiving, you let the person off your hook—but they are not beyond God’s justice. You can trust that He will deal with them in a way that is perfectly just and right—something we, in our humanity, cannot fully do.

Find a quiet place and ask the Lord to reveal anyone you need to forgive.

Write down the names of those you need to forgive.
These may include people from recent situations or from long ago—even incidents that may seem small, such as childhood memories or past relationships.

Include yourself (if applicable).

Include any unresolved anger toward God (if applicable).

Bring each name before the Lord and honestly express how that person hurt you.

Write down what they did and why you need to forgive them.

Acknowledge your feelings and how deeply they affected you.
Be honest. For example:
“I was extremely angry.”
“I felt rejected, humiliated, or worthless.”

Make a deliberate choice to forgive and release them:
“Lord, I choose to forgive and release (name of person).”