How to Forgive Someone Who Isn’t Sorry

Someone once came up to me, almost shaking in fear over one of Jesus’ Beatitudes. The one that troubled her was “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7, ESV throughout). Her problem was that she had once experienced what she considered betrayal from a friend—and that friend seemed not the least bit sorry. The woman said she wanted to forgive, but she had tried and tried and couldn’t. She couldn’t will away the hurt she still felt. What was she supposed to do?