It's tough, and in some cases nearly impossible, to allow others off the hook without exacting a pound of flesh. When we are unforgiving, we imagine that we are in control, when in fact the unforgivingness has control of us. And the longer we carry it, the more cumbersome it becomes. It takes energy to forgive, but not as much energy as it takes to hold up our defenses. True forgiveness isn't easy, but it is still easier than living an unforgiving life.
Forgiveness is both corporate and intensely personal.
Lack of forgiveness impacts the body in countless ways. But because it involves the unseen places of a person's heart, it's possible that relationships that seem fine are clouded by issues from the past. It says, If you want to be forgiven, if you want to experience that kind of love, you have to forgive everyone in your life everyone, even the very worst boyfriend you ever had even, for God's sake, yourself. We are deeply loved by a God who has forgiven us much. We can't really appreciate that until we ourselves have learned to forgive.