It is for this reason that reconciliation is not always essential to total forgiveness. If it takes place in the heart, one does not need to know whether one’s enemy will reconcile. If I have forgiven him or her in my heart of hearts, and he doesn’t want to speak to me, I can still have the inner victory. It is true that it is far easier to forgive when we know that those who maligned or betrayed us are sorry; but if I must have this before I can forgive, I may never ever have a victory.
