Forgiving someone who wronged us is one of hardest things we will ever have to do. It has to be done, not only as a biblical requirement, but practically to maintain our own sanity.

There are hundreds of overused ‘proverbs’ with regard to forgiveness or the lack thereof; I’m sure you’ve heard most of them, so I’ll spare you. What I will say, is that it is true that unforgiveness is more harmful to the person holding on to the offense than to the offender.

Sometimes, it is beyond our capability to forgive. Sometimes the hurt is too deep, the wound is too fresh, the offender too familiar, the circumstances too tragic. People respond in different ways. One feels justified in their anger, and withholding forgiveness satisfies their sense of justice. Others feel guilty because they hate to hold on to it, but can’t find it in themselves to forgive.

In my experience, part of the difficulty in forgiving lies in confusing the act of forgiveness with the feeling of forgiveness. We say we can’t forgive because we don’t feel forgiveness; we can’t emotionally disconnect the person from the offense. And while we may have said that we have forgiven, our minds and hearts don’t agree with the sentiment. Internally, we lack the capability to repair the trauma, and really, the wounds are what we are clinging to.

Sometimes forgiveness is a process. A process that begins with a decision. Making a decision to forgive, apart from the emotions involved, is the beginning of the act of forgiveness. That decision opens the door for healing to take place. Forgiveness is an act of humility; humility prepares you to receive grace. Grace includes the ability and strength to do things that you cannot do on your own; the ability to release the hurt that keeps the feeling of forgiveness at bay.  But, beyond that, grace provides healing for the wounds.

At times, for me it has required a daily decision to forgive. There are still things I have problems letting go of. But I have decided to forgive, and I anticipate the day that my heart will catch up.