what is forgiveness?

what is forgiveness?
a question i have been asking myself for the last few months. it is the process of accepting the damage that has been done and the reality of things cannot be changed. A stage in life where we learn and grow.

to go through pain is a struggle, and to go through forgiveness is also a struggle. who says to forgive is not as painful as to be hurt? it is. but, to forgive someone has a package of peace.
to forgive is a decision over emotion. it is forgetting the damage and fighting the memory of the past.

the past months, I've been thinking of forgiving a person who have caused me so much emotional pain and trouble. i can forgive him in my heart, for that is what I've been praying for, and that is the will of GOD. but of course reconciliation should be initiated by him, for he haven't repented and asked for forgiveness. in this situation, i can conclude that the level of pain comes from the level of love we had/have for a person.

last Sunday, Reverend Danny Reyes talked about forgiveness in pulpit. i have learned that when someone have done a bad thing to a person we can always thought of intelligent move/ways to make that person feel hard towards what he has done. like what David asked to Joab when he killed Abner, David asked Joab to mourn for Abner, and tore his clothes and wear sackcloth, where in fact Joab is rejoicing for Abner's death, can you imagine how difficult for it for Joab. another thing when people have cause us trouble or give us pain, we can pray for them and give the revenge in GOD's hand, GOD is just, HE knows our heart and HE knows the truth, HE has HIS own way, HE punished those who have done wicked things.

when we forgive, peace is with us, and GOD is happy. for HE HIMSELF is forgiving to those who repent. In the end, i can say that forgiveness is a gift, a gift of love. it is the love we can give to those who have sinned against us and underserving of forgiveness.