If there are people in your life you have not forgiven, what is the challenge there? Be honest because some situations are more challenging than others. Is there any way to move forward in forgiving them?

What a heavy loaded question. To me, the biggest challenge is not about whether there are people that I have not forgive, but rather forgiving those that are toughest to forgive 70x7 times.

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21–22 NIV

Forgiveness can be tough when the people that have offended me does not repent, or does not think they have sinned against me. I used to think forgiveness comes when I “feel” like I can forgive. Yet as I continue to walk in my faith, I find that forgiveness is an act of surrendering my emotions and obeying God’s command, and then the emotional release will follow. After all — the act/mindset of not forgiving someone will end up with bitterness, resentment and negativity, which in a way is putting our own soul into enslavement. The willingness to forgive is itself a grace from God that frees us from our own prison of bitterness.

To me, I always look to the cross on what Jesus has done for me to help me move forward with situations that I find really difficult to forgive. Usually, a willingness to forgive comes when I come face to face with God and be completely open and vulnerable with how I truly feel. That includes being honest with my anger, my hurt, my disappointment and my sense of injustice. Often times I find that when I surrender these things to God, He will reminds me of how much He loves me through His sacrifice on the cross, and that love from Him allows me to forgive others 70 x 7 times.