Forgiveness: Which is easier?

From my personal experience, before I became a Christian, I found it difficult to forgive others and myself at times. That's because I had not experienced the forgiveness of God myself. I did not see myself in need of being forgiven by God by accepting Jesus Christ.

Later, the Lord opened my eyes to see my need for forgiveness through a friend who shared with me about Jesus Christ. So I decided to receive Jesus my Lord and Saviour, believing that He died for my sins. And as I was growing up as a Christian and listening to the gospel of grace, I began to understand more about the love of God, and how He demonstrated His love by sending His Son to die for us while we were yet sinners, undeserving of His goodness and mercy.

Understanding the gospel makes it easier for me to receive God's forgiveness for myself. Now that I have received His forgiveness, it is easier for me to forgive others too, out of an overflow of His love towards me. It would also be easier for me to say "sorry" when I make mistakes, though I would leave it to the other person whether or not to forgive me for that. :)

Now, when it comes to forgiving myself, somehow it is the hardest. Maybe because now that I have a heart of flesh, and the more I see the darkness and unloveliness in my own self through God's words, the more I am easily conscious of my own shortcomings. Therefore I am grateful for the gospel of grace, for the gospel reminds me that if God Himself has forgiven me through Jesus' blood, who am I not to forgive myself? God is greater than me, and His grace is greater than my sins and weaknesses. In fact, it would be pride if I don't forgive myself because it can mean I am saying that my sins are too great for Jesus' blood to wash them away, implying He did not do a perfect work of redemption at the cross. Yet the ultimate reality is that God has forgiven me all trespasses (Colossians 2:13), and therefore "even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do - bearing with one another, and forgiving one another". (Colossians 3:13) This, my heart needs to remember, and so my mind needs to be continually renewed by the truth of the gospel, so that my heart may be established by grace, and not feel condemned, and I will be able to face each new day with a grateful heart to the Lord, whose mercies are new every morning, and His compassions fail not. (Hebrews 13:9, 1 John 3:21, Lamentations 3:22-23)

God bless you, bro Daniel.

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ADD: Bro Digital Age, Jesus said to Simon the Pharisee, "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." (Luke 7:47) When we know the huge debt we owed God and how much He has forgiven us, we will love Him much. :)

I think I get what you're asking and in that I will answer this way: In my marriage, I was or thought I was in love with him and yes, forgiving him was easier than it would be now that the love is gone or wasn't actually ever there! I will also say that in a marriage I know all to well (the wife is very open and honest with me about their marriage) she is no longer "in love" with him, probably never was, but she does "love" him and no, she does not, absolutely not, forgive him very easy and I would think that if she was "in love" with him it would be a lot easier for her to forgive him. Long story short, I think that perhaps in a marriage if not "in love" there is that bitterness that makes a person want to hold on to the grudge and are not willing to forgive very easily and expect the spouse to really make up for it!

Asking God is the easiest, because that fits right in with #3.

However, to ask someone else for forgiveness is by far the most worthwhile. If the person you've harmed forgives you, then you have turned a negative into somewhat of a positive, and can then move on.

Asking God just comes natural if you have a personal relationship with Him.

Asking another person for forgiveness is easy if you are sincere, it won't matter if they forgive you or not, you did do you part in making good on what you feel you have don't wrong.

Forgiving yourself is essential, although very hard. I still on occasion beat myself up for what I have done wrong. I try to go bad to my younger days that my mom used to say "you can't forgive anyone until you learn to forgive yourself" It is helpful, but sometimes I still hold on to what I thought I have forgiven myself for..

Forgiveness is a law concept, since only law imputes any sin to forgive; And if you don't forgive all men all sins, then not you either: Mt 6:14,15 ... and if not, then expect a visit from the tormentors: Mt 18:33,34. Forgiveness is also for know nots: Father, forgive them, for they know not: Lk 23:34. And the funny thing about law is it also imputes unpardonable sin. So forgiveness by law can get to be a mission impossible; with the only solution being abolition of law.

Grace doesn't impute sin to forgive: 2Cor 5:19

Charity never fails, because charity thinketh no evil(law); And charity is to be put on above forgiving one another.

I think the hardest part is to forgive myself. It's easy to ask God for forgiveness, and in some instances, it's easy to ask others for forgiveness.

But, when I know that I have sinned against God and grieved the Holy Spirit, it is very difficult for me to forgive myself. I know the wrongs that I have committed, even in secrecy. Sometimes, we all take our humility too far, in the form of unforgiveness. When God calls us to a task, and we know the sin we have, we tend to turn it away, because we are unworthy. That stems from the ability to forgive ourselves, and that is what I think is the hardest, to forgive myself.

Great question and it makes us think.

I feel its easier to ask God for the forgiveness but it is vital that we ask those we have sinned against for forgiveness in order for God to forgive us.Mathew6:12

i my self find it easier to ask God! for my forgiveness it is harder for me to forgive myself although we must and i am always quick to ask forgiveness to some one i have hurt or transgressed agianst! just me! good question making us think i like, all my sins make my heart hurt i must say, so i guess this is why i have a harder time forgiving my self! God Bless!

Definitely easier to ask God for forgiveness! He all ready knows what we did so we really arent admitting to much. When we ask others to forgive us, we are having to humble ourselves, admit fault, and place ourselves at the mercy of another human. Regardless of the situation, pride is what keeps us from asking for forgiveness.

To come to terms with yourself is easy.....because you love your self more than anybody

To ask another to be forgiven is tough because you have to face the person and look into his or her eyes....you can see how you have hurt them....needs a bit of courage and remorse

To ask God for forgiveness is tougher.....when you approach God , He can see your heart....you cannot pretend to be sorry.....it needs a real broken heart

" Have mercy upon me , O God, according to thy loving kindness ; according to thy multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sins.......Create in me a clean heart, O God ; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence ; and take not thy holy spirit from ;.Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation ; and uphold me with thy free Spirit " Psalm 51: 1, 2 & 10 - 12

U are the best to know what U did right and what U did wrong - every individual and even some animals are intelligent enough to understand the differance between what's right and what's wrong - where do we draw the line between right and wrong - it is by answering the questions how ethical and moraly right what you do...

So - if U do something that is not ethical or morally incorrect, the best is to plead guilty from your self and clear your consious and then say sorry to the effected.