Forgiveness is free but trust must be earned.

We can’t control the people around us but we can control our reactions to them. People will hurt us. That is a fact of life. There will be things that other people do that will hurt us and all we can control is our reactions to them. It’s important to forgive them even when it hurts. Look forgiveness isn’t really for the other person. Sometimes it is but honestly it’s more for you. You’re the only person carrying around that weight with you. You’re the only one feeling bitter or hurt. The other person may not even know that they hurt you. When you don’t forgive other people you’re the only one who suffers. So yes they are the one you are forgiving but it’s you it really helps. Now let’s be clear forgiving someone and trusting them are two very different things. By all means forgive people freely but I a not saying that means things go back to the way they were before they hurt you. No. If someone hurt you forgive them but don’t trust them right off the bat. Trust must be earned, it’s not free. Trusting someone just because you forgave them is just stupid. You have to earn trust, that is something that shouldn’t be free.