“People who find it difficult to forgive don’t see themselves realistically.”

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2013-02-15) From his book, Be A People Person: Effective Leadership Through Effective Relationships (p. 23). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition. Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

That is so true.

John says, “They are either terribly arrogant or tremendously insecure. Though hanging onto a grudge gives some people a feeling of satisfaction, the truth is people who do not forgive are hurting themselves much more than they’re hurting others. A person who possesses this characteristic and keeps score in relationships is a person who is emotionally wired to carry all the stress that goes with carrying grudges.”  And we wonder why we live a stress filled life.

Earlier John says, “Almost all emotional problems and stress come from unresolved conflicts and failure to have developed right relationships with people. Because of this, many people have a deep desire for total forgiveness. A forgiving spirit is the one basic, necessary ingredient for a solid relationship. Forgiveness frees us from guilt and allows us to interact positively with other people.”

John finished this section by saying, “I cannot stress this enough: if you don’t have peace, it isn’t because someone took it from you; you gave it away. You cannot always control what happens to you, but you can control what happens in you.”

So what is holding you back from a solid relationship?