Immediate Forgiveness

​I have come to believe so deeply in the importance of forgiveness that I pray the following prayer nearly every day: “Let my forgiveness be immediate, complete, unconditional, and withheld from no one—including myself.” One of the most difficult words in that prayer is “immediate.” How can we forgive someone when the offense is fresh and painful? Doesn’t this go against Stone Seven which encourages us to feel? Of course we must allow ourselves to feel, but as soon as possible, and even at the onset, we can recognize that even though the hurt is undeniable, we can choose to release it as soon as possible. We immediately recognize the need for forgiveness, and in that recognition the forgiveness process begins