Forgiveness means letting go of resentments, bitterness, and desires for revenge. God commands us to forgive others, but He never told us to keep trusting those who violated our trust or even to like being around those who hurt us. To forgive is for our benefit. The other person’s behavior may never change. It is up to God, not us, to change others. Our responsibility is to be set free from the pressure and weight of an unforgiving attitude.
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Col. 3:13 NIV)