The most God - like act we can do in our lives is to FORGIVE. Forgiveness is not just a weak emotion so do not wait until we "feel like it". It's a command. It is about releasing someone and setting someone free. When we forgive, we are the ones released from the offense. When we forgive, we are the ones who are set free from the offense.
So the question goes "How do I know I have truly forgiven?" If we can do the following by an act of our will, we will know we have forgiven without a doubt. Write down the name of the one thru which the offense came . Name the offense. Write it down.
Then audible speak the following . " I forgive (name of offender) for (name the offense) in the Name of Jesus Christ. " It must be spoken.
Understand that words contain intent - they are like seeds and contain the intent of the heart. . We release our intent thru our spoken words . That is why Jesus put such emphasis on blessing our enemies and not cursing . Life and death are in the power of the tongue. When we forgive in this manner, we KNOW our intent has been released thru our words . This can be done in an empty room in which there is no one but us and God . May seem like a technical exercise but this is real . I am grateful to Neil Anderson for his help and his incredible "Bondage Breaker " book . God bless you guys . Glad I found this resource .