Forgiving
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much. (19th century Oscar Wilde, Irish poet)
When a friend offends you, most often unintentionally, it’s easy to forgive and forget. But when someone who really doesn’t like you offends you, it’s a bit more difficult to forgive. Our natural instinct is to fight back, to seek revenge. Wilde may be right, but our purpose in forgiving is not to hurt or harm the offender, but to bring him or her to a place of reconciliation and peace.
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven (Proverbs 17:9). Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you (Colossians 3:13).