Well, hey, friends, welcome back to another edition of the Weekday podcast. If you've been tracking with us, you know we've been talking about this big subject of forgiveness, and if you've missed any of the previous episodes, go to weekdaypodcast.com to catch up. But today we're going to talk about something that I think most of us face at some point. And here's the tension. How do you actually forgive someone who never says they're sorry? So let me just start right there. Some people will never own what they did. They just won't. Maybe they don't realize the damage that they caused. Maybe they've moved on, or maybe, quite frankly, they just don't care. And so you're stuck holding the weight. It's almost like they lit a match, tossed it over their shoulder, and you've been trying to put out the fire ever since. And I think a lot of times we have this idea that forgiveness needs to be neat. There needs to be some full circle moment. But what if that moment never comes? Let me give you an example right from the life of Jesus. In Luke 23, verse 34, Jesus is on the cross. He's actively being mocked and tortured. And what does he say? He says, father, forgive them, for they do not know what they're doing. Think about that. He's forgiving them while they're still hurting him. There's no apology. There's no explanation. There's no regret. And I think that's what makes this moment so powerful. Jesus wasn't waiting to forgive. He actually led with forgiveness. So let's bring that into our lives. Maybe there's someone in your story, maybe recently or could be years ago, who left you with scars. And every time you think of them, your heart tightens. You're still waiting for them to say, I'm sorry. But here's the truth that can set you free today. You don't need their repentance to begin your healing. Let me say that again. You don't need their repentance to begin your healing. Forgiveness is something you choose, not something they earn. Forgiveness isn't a reward for their apology. It's actually a decision you make for your own freedom. So the great question then is, well, how do you actually forgive without an apology? Here's a couple steps. Step one is stop waiting for closure. Sometimes we think we need their acknowledgement to move forward. But closure doesn't come from them. It actually comes from God. You can move forward even when they don't look back. So stop waiting for it.
Name what was lost. Write it down. What did they take from you? Your time, your trust, Your peace. Naming the loss is a step towards healing and it validates your pain. Step three. Release the debt. This is where it gets super real for all of us to say out loud, God, they don't owe me anymore. I'm not waiting for an apology. I forgive them because I need to be free. Now here's a picture that I find helpful. Imagine you've been carrying a backpack full of bricks. Each brick is labeled with what they did. Now you can't change them, but you can stop carrying them. Forgiveness. It's like setting down the backpack and walking away. A lot lighter. So today, don't wait for the apology. Set that free in your own heart. Have a great day. We'll see you back here soon.
