How often have you found yourself feeling resentful or bitter toward a person or situation? Have you found yourself blaming them, complaining about them, or dwelling on something that they have done?

If you find yourself doing any of these things, it’s time to do a forgiveness check. Anytime we feel any of these emotions, it means that we need to forgive and release either a person or a situation.

However, sometimes it’s not easy to forgive someone. Maybe what they did was just too awful. Maybe we believe that it’s just not possible to forgive them.

But forgiveness is the balm that heals our heart and soul. Without it, we live a life filled with bitterness and resentment.

By forgiving someone, it does not mean that we condone what they have done to us. It simply means that we release the anger and resentment that we feel so that we can move forward with our lives.

If you are having trouble forgiving someone, try putting yourself in their shoes. Ask yourself “what kind of person does what this person did?” If they stole some money from you, ask what kind of person would steal money from another? Chance are they are scared, and have a very strong victim consciousness. They may believe that there is abundance all around them, but that they will never have any of it. They feel cut off from their creator, and the only possible way they can get what they need is by stealing it. No matter what face they present to you, this is the act of someone with no feelings of self worth.

Maybe someone has been gossiping about you. What type of person gossips about another? Again, gossiping (which is speaking badly about another, and spreading what are most likely lies) is most likely caused because of feelings of low self worth.

Someone who is happy and healthy would most likely never intend to harm another person. So look at the intent of the person who hurt you. Was it honestly their intent to hurt you, or was it the act of a frightened soul who cannot see the beauty in themselves?

When we forgive someone, we allow ourselves to see the beauty in ourselves and in another. And in our small act of forgiveness, we may be the only one who ever sees the beauty in that person who so desperately needs to see it in themselves.