The Master's attitude toward those who crucified him is shown in his prayer, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." This sets forth for us an example which is worthy of emulation, and which should silence excuse-making on the part of those who would avoid complying with the requirements of true forgiveness.
Perhaps one may say, How can I help being resentful when I have been deeply wronged, ill-treated, misjudged? We surely cannot rise above the sense of injury by human will or human effort alone. But divine Love is an ever-present help, and available at all times. God, good, being All, evil does not exist; hatred or resentment has no existence, because it is not good, and so not of God, who is "of purer eyes than to behold evil."
If we allow thoughts of resentment to abide in our consciousness, then we are not obeying Christ Jesus' commandment, "Love one another." True forgiveness requires one to cease holding resentment. A wholehearted desire and effort to keep one's thought above all mortal discord and worldly turmoil, and to abide in the consciousness of Love as supreme, will keep us so busy reflecting God that there will be no time for dreaming of some fancied wrong. What peace and joy we find when we realize that God's child cannot be wronged or harmed, for the child of God's creating is perfect and eternal, and abides in the consciousness of Love, and Love knows no hatred or resentment. Discord of any sort will melt into nothingness when the rays of Truth dissolve the mists of error. A definition of mist is, "Anything which dims or darkens, and obscures, blurs or intercepts vision physical or mental." When one fairly faces resentment, which thrives on self-pity, and earnestly applies the truth, realizing that there is no discord in God's spiritual creation, since God's universe, including man, is perfect, one cannot be offended or give offense.
