Forgiveness And Leadership So much to hold on to. So much damage, unforgiveness. Not as much for the unforgiven, but the one who refuses to forgive. The root that goes down into the depth of our soul is bitterness, which is watered each time we refuse to forgive. There have been times in my life when I felt justified by the hurt and the pain of rejection to not forgive. There were times I could rationalize unforgiveness because of the unfair actions or reaction of the perpetrator. There have been times when I've considered it an unforgivable sin and there was no way to forgive. But this is what I found out. The unforgiveness in my life was doing me much harm. Not so much to the perpetrator, but to my own life. I had to learn that forgiveness is extended, even if it's never earned. Forgiveness is extended regardless of a lack of repentance on the part of the perpetrator. Forgiveness is understanding the character of God. Just as God is willing to forgive us, we should forgive others. God delights in you and rejoices over you. God takes care of you. God will protect you. He makes sure all the wrongs are made right. God is the only one that can bring peace to your mind. He will quiet you with His love. God has a plan for you. Now it is important to realize that I am not saying this means forgiveness means letting the guilty off the hook, or that forgiveness means you deny the hurt and become a doormat. It does not mean you will forget. God commands that we forgive. God wants us to forgive as Christ forgave us. God will give you a future and He will deal with the issue. Only God knows everything concerning the situation; if vengeance is needed, His vengeance is mighty. Forgiveness is not waiting for a time to heal. It is intentional and immediately will begin the healing in your life. Today's leaders often want to move on without forgiving their past. Past hurts and grudges keep bubbling to the surface. Now is the time to forgive so you are new and vitalized for the journey ahead. The roots of bitterness in the leaders life will suffer and also will negatively affect the follower. Harboring anger and resentment, is physically, emotionally and spiritually unhealthy for you. Forgive even if the other person has done extreme harm to you or your loved ones. This is extremely difficult if the perpetrator has not admitted any guilt or shows absolutely no remorse. Do it anyway and watch the weight come off your shoulders. Do the brave thing .....Forgive and watch what happens to you.