No Exceptions

"Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive."

-- C.S. Lewis, author, lay theologian

Forgiveness.  Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But as simple as it sounds, you may still have people in your life who you do not want to forgive, or if you do, you just cannot seem to do it.  So, are you off the hook if you are able to forgive most of the time?  Are you OK in God’s eyes if you are withholding forgiveness from only a few people?

What does the Bible say?  It says if we want God to forgive our sins, we must forgive others.  And guess what? It does not include any exceptions.

So how do you forgive when forgiveness is tough? First, recognize that you do not have to deny your feelings, you do not have to accept bad behavior, and you do not need remorse from the person you are forgiving.  All you need to do is make a decision to replace your anger or hurt with a feeling of peace.  Remember, forgiveness is about your attitude and your emotions, so you do not need anything from someone else to do what God expects from you.