Thought Adjuster: “Forgiveness is a multi-layered process set into motion by the honest desire to forgive. The challenge many encounter in that endeavor is that they tackle it from their intellect rather than their heart. Merely saying “I forgive you” does not make it so. You will soon notice that there are still pockets of resentment and feelings of hurt that keep bubbling up. How, then, do you go about releasing them once and for all? 

The best approach to this soul-liberating process is to reflect upon Jesus’ life that abounded in forgiveness exemplifications. He was greatly misunderstood, emotionally and physically abused, and subjected to character defamation. In comparison, your self-righteous assertions of victimization often amount to self-pity.

Jesus never felt sorry for himself. He dealt with the earthly life blows by adopting an elevated perspective, ever more concerned about his heavenly Father’s feelings than his own. To him, the injured party was the Father he had come to represent. By not taking offenses personally, Jesus did not brood over them or schemed revenge. He distanced himself from the Old Testament retaliatory an-eye-for-an-eye response and, by turning the other cheek, he stunned his tormentors and the bystanders.

Forgiveness is indeed an act of liberation—of the self and those who dug their claws deep into you. It is also a process of emotional relaxation—only possible when the mind and its memories disengage from the inner conflict to allow the heart to do its job as the forgiver. Forgiveness allows for peace to settle in. Wasn’t your Master Jesus coined as the Prince of Peace? How else could he have forgiven if he had operated from a place of inner turmoil?

The dove of peace holding an olive branch needs to be released from your heart. Yours is to open the door of its cage whose bars are made of resentment and grudges. Once you set it free to soar, it will become your peace ambassador. Do not rescind its emancipation, as by doing so, you nullify your selfless act of forgiveness. Let it go so that it can drop its olive branch in the lap of those you want to absolve of any debt toward you.

It is the only way for peace to be restored in your world—inner and outer. Jesus makes himself available to assist you in that process that he mastered to perfection so that he could become ‘the way’—the way back to the Father as heaven is a grudge-free zone.”