I forgive you. But that s just politeness, not forgiveness. Forgiveness has the specific goal of reconciliation, the mending of a broken relationship, and we know that it is never easy to fix a broken relationship. We know that it will not just happen without an intentional investment of our time and energy. We know that mending broken relationships means taking risks, which is perhaps why true forgiveness is so hard.
Forgiveness is a risky business.
If a brother or sister sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. It is risky not for the one who has sinned but the one who has been sinned against. The responsibility for initiating the process of forgiveness that leads to reconciliation rests with the one who has been offended. No nursing grudges. No whining about how the offender has never said, I m sorry.