From my experience, many people struggle with the idea of forgiving, even when they want inner peace. I am wondering why you think this is so.
Many people actually do not understand forgiveness in its depth. In other words, they presume that they know what it is, but confuse it with “just moving on” or with reconciling with the one who was unfair. “Moving on” by itself can be very difficult, and therefore, if forgiveness is confused with this, a person may think it is just not worth the effort. Reconciliation with a person who continues with abuse can be dangerous, and therefore, a person thinks that forgiveness is dangerous. Even when people understand forgiveness correctly, they are aware that it can be stressful to offer mercy to those who have not been merciful to the forgiver. In this latter case, I point out that the pain associated with forgiving is temporary. In contrast, living with resentment can last a lifetime. That kind of pain needs to be confronted and cured. Forgiveness is the antidote to that kind of enduring pain.
