Forgiven...so forgiven!

Yes, that's me...forgiven! And every single day I'm so thankful for God's forgiveness. The study I was a part of several years ago "Seeking Him", taught me this: Forgiveness: The gift everyone wants to receive but finds hard to give.
For quite some time now, I've been studying I and II Samuel. About a year or so ago, a friend gave me two Bible study guides to go along with my study. After completion, I began the devotional and Bible study on David, 90 days with a Heart Like His.I was so excited about this study because it went back through I and II Samuel again. I realized that the Lord must have really wanted me to study these books...again! And this time He gave me 4 accountability partners who wanted to study the same.
It has been a remarkable journey. I have struggled with bitterness and unforgiveness in my heart and God has allowed me to see just how forgiven I've been throughout my life. Through Bible study and my husband's gentle nudging, I have been able to totally forgive others.
How did I come to that point? By realizing the time that anger and bitterness were stealing from my life; by realizing that forgiveness may be excruciating for a moment, but anger and bitterness are excruciating for a lifetime; by God's teaching that forgiveness releases me, my pain and my bitterness.
I quote from Seeking Him, "Forgiveness means that I fully release the offender from his or her debt. It means fully cleaning his record. It is a promise never to bring up the offense against him again"; "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you (in me)...ouch!
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
Are you harboring bitterness? Do you need to forgive?