As our pastor pointed out today, the opposite of forgiveness is wrath. It is a perfectly natural reaction to lash out at those who cause us harm, or those whom we believe will cause us harm. However, God calls us to move beyond our natural instincts and to bring our thinking and actions more in line with the teachings of Jesus.
This is not an easy thing to do, as forgiving those who have wronged us (whether the wrong was real or imagined) goes against our innate desire for revenge and retribution. Yet that hatred and fear weighs heavily upon us, dragging down our thoughts and even our health. Meanwhile the act of forgiveness lightens the weight that rests upon our souls. Thus, following Jesus is difficult, but at the same time it lightens our burden.
I should mention that forgiveness does not mean acquiescence. We should still work to right the wrongs in this world and continue to fight against those who perpetuate them. However, we should do so out of love for mercy and justice, not out of malice and spite.
This is something that I need to keep working at.