We know about forgiving other people who have hurt or sinned against us. However, the three sources that we frequently forget to forgive are ourselves, institutions, and God.

When we are plagued with thoughts of things we wish we didn't do, or wish we had done, we need to forgive ourselves as if we were someone else.

• I wish I had called my mother more often
• I wish I had not had a child out of wedlock
• If I had only finished college
• If I had been quicker to see the signs of abuse, I could have …
• I made a mistake in trusting…
• I should have known better…

The accusations against ourselves will run rampant and there is no way to stop it because we are self producing them. If we do not forgive ourselves, we can end up in regret and self-hate. Regret and self-hate, make us vulnerable to infirmity, suicide, unexplained headaches and migraines, immune disorders, fibromyalgia, ulcers, any disease that eats up the body or prevents the body from functioning as it should.

Not forgiving self is also a form of idolatry. The Word says God WILL forgive you when you repent. If God can forgive you, are you someone greater than God that cannot forgive you? Repent of setting yourself up as greater than God.

Prayer for forgiving yourself: "Lord I forgive myself for _____ (getting myself fired, dishonouring my parents, not spending more time with my children). I release me from any debt to me. John 20:21 says ‘If I forgive, I am forgiven. If I retain the sins, they are retained.’ I now accept the forgiveness from me.”

The second source of sin is institutions that do not have a personal face e.g. the Department of Motor Vehicles, the university, the hospital, the insurance company, the police department, the IRS, etc. Just because these do not have a person we can go to, it does not mean we don’t need to forgive. Unforgiveness will fester and can grow into a root of rage. Rage, expressed violently, harms others and ourselves. We see this today, where persons believe they have been treated unfairly by the police. Their rage is taken out on any policemen in uniform. Enough of these in a community erupt into escalated violence. “Peaceful” protest marches turn into ugly confrontations because there is no forgiveness. Remember, forgiveness does not mean the hurtful act is condoned. Forgiveness means I will not require restitution but I will seek justice. When we forgive, God can intervene to bring justice.

Prayer for forgiving institutions: “Lord I forgive _____ (the hospital, insurance, university) _____ for _____ (losing my records, delaying my payments, making me do the work all over again) _____. I release them 100%. I look to you for justice in this situation.”
 
The third source of hurt is God. When we have a grudge against God, we turn him into a non-personal being. We cut off personal relationship with Him. When he does not perform the way we wanted or expected, we perceive he has hurt or sinned against us. Although the mind says God does no wrong, the heart says, he has let me down. It is the heart that needs to forgive. Be specific.
 
I lost my first child in pregnancy because of rubella. I was angry at God because I believed he could have prevented the disease from affecting me and he didn't. He let me down. I had to forgive him if I wanted to go forward. You cannot be angry at God and still worship him in spirit and in truth. Your emotions and head are in conflict making you feel like a “push-me-pull-you”. Platitudes such as “God meant for it to happen,” “Keep being grateful for what you have,” “There is something good here,” do not work! Forgive Him.
 
Prayer for forgiving God: “Lord, I forgive you for… (letting my child be molested, not curing the cancer in my husband, letting our home be destroyed by tornado, etc.) I release you from anything I believe you owe me. I forgive you for letting me down. I forgive you 100%.”
 
If you have something against God, you are preventing your own blessings from reaching you. He is waiting for you to confess and forgive so he can pour out his blessings.