Forgiving can be one of the hardest things God requires of us. The Bible gives us many examples of forgiving others, but the ultimate forgiveness took place on the Cross. Jesus forgave those who crucified Him.When people hurt us, it causes pain, and pain is real. Unfortunately, it is not always strangers who hurt and offend us; sometimes it is the people closest to us who cause the deepest hurts. Satan wants us to hang on to the pain. Don’t give Satan a foothold, for he wants nothing more than to keep us as victims. Then he will rob us of our peace and joy and accomplish his ultimate goal—convincing us to be unforgiving.Forgiveness sets us free. While God wants us to forgive those who hurt us, He does not require us to keep trusting the offender. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciling. We can choose to forgive someone even if our relationship ends with that person. Forgiveness has to do with the past; now we must look to the future. Talking to a pastor or a Christian counselor can help work out the pain, stress, and anxiety associated with the offense. Our hearts can be healed. Remember that when we are weak, God is strong!