For me, forgiveness, at least some of the time, is easy to begin, but it can be difficult to maintain. I kind of want to go on with my life and do other things. So, how can I keep going until the very end and forgive completely without giving up?
I discuss three kinds of will in my book, The Forgiving Life: the good will, the free will, and the strong will. Having good will enables you to respond with kindness to people who have injured you and to see them for who they truly are. Saying “yes” to the forgiving process itself is made possible by your free will. Despite the difficulty, you can persevere because of your strong will.
Make an effort to recognize the strong will. Beyond forgiveness, cultivate it in other areas as well. For instance, stick to the challenge of an exercise regimen; finish the book you started; or finish a project you started at home some time ago. By making these efforts, you can fortify your strong will and go closer to the forgiveness finish line. Please remember that anger might reemerge even after you have crossed the finish line of forgiveness. As you go through the forgiveness process once more, use the strong will, the free will, and the good will, all of which will help you to forgive more deeply.
