The Hard Work — Forgiving ICE

Introducing Sue Pipal:

In this tumultuous moment of history, we're grateful to offer this guest post by Sue Pipal. Sue has been a student of A Course in Miracles since the 1980s, and has spent decades turning the idea of forgiveness into something you can actually practice—especially when it’s the last thing you feel like doing. 

After years of experimentation and daily application, she developed grounded, practical ways to forgive difficult people and painful events without bypassing reality.

She’s the author of Forgiveness Is the Key to Happiness (2013), writes at forgiveandbehappy.com, and facilitates spiritual study groups through her local Centers for Spiritual Living community. A former UCLA student with a career background in advertising and interior design, Sue has lived in Lake Tahoe since 1997—where the mountains remain part of her medicine.

Sue Pipal writes about how and WHY forgiving what seems "unforgivable" is essential for our soul's freedom, peace and connection to Love.

How do you forgive what feels unforgivable? (from Colleen)

Forgiveness can feel like betrayal when the harm is real. If you’re feeling resistant, you’re not broken—you’re human. As you read Sue's guest post below, notice what and where your body may react with tightening, heat, numbness... Know that we can choose to work wholeheartedly for justice AND refuse to let hatred take over our inner life. Forgiveness is NOT approval, and it doesn’t replace action. If you’d like, share in the comments: what part of forgiveness feels impossible right now—and what kind of support could make it even slightly more doable? —Colleen

THE POST (from 1/31/2026 on forgiveandbehappy.com)

For those of us who practice forgiveness regularly, it often settles into a familiar routine: forgiving the same person over and over again.

That person is usually someone we spend a lot of time with. A spouse. A family member. A friend. A coworker.

People’s quirky or unconscious behavior can be annoying. And yes, it can be challenging to forgive them sometimes, especially when they do things that cause suffering for us.

But honestly, this kind of forgiveness is fairly run-of-the-mill compared to what is going on in the larger world around us today.

Right now, there is all kinds of “big” and frightening behavior that calls for forgiveness. Some of it requires what I would call expert-level forgiveness.

And for many of us in the United States, over the past months, we have been given a true Black Diamond assignment: Forgiving ICE.

What We Are Witnessing

We have watched agents mistakenly haul citizens into custody. We have seen families disrupted. Children arrested. People sent to war-torn African countries where they are promptly jailed. Due process ignored. Legal protections removed. Green card holders detained.

People disappearing, while families have no idea where they are.

And now, in some cases, we are witnessing protesters — people within their lawful rights to observe and record — being shot and killed.

It is frightening. It is terrible. And we are all watching it.

As a nation, we are uncomfortable. Upset. Tense. Traumatized. Confused. Angry. Heartbroken.

So the question becomes: What do we do with all of this? How do we even begin to process it?

What Will Not Heal This

First and foremost, anger, fear, and hatred are not the solution.

In fact, they are the greatest hindrance to any real solution.

They poison our minds. They harden our hearts. They block our connection to Spirit. They separate us from our own peace.

And as shocking as it may sound…

We must forgive ICE.

The idea of forgiving major trespassers is often completely contrary to logic. It feels like we are rewarding bad behavior. Like giving the school bully a hall pass.

It feels like we are rewarding bad behavior. Like giving the school bully a hall pass. Like excusing cruelty.

Why Forgiveness Feels So Wrong Here

The idea of forgiving major trespassers is often completely contrary to logic.

It feels like we are rewarding bad behavior. Like giving the school bully a hall pass. Like excusing cruelty.

It almost feels irresponsible.

But forgiveness is not a reward we hand out to “bad guys.”

It is something far deeper than that.

What Forgiveness Really Is

Forgiveness is a spiritual act.

It is how we affirm our love for all of humanity. It is how we recognize the great Oneness of the collective. It is how we stay connected to God.

It is how we express gratitude for the gift of life and love given to us by a Creator who made each one of us in His image — and loves us all equally.

Even when what we do here on psycho planet looks, to human eyes, like “bad behavior.”

In God’s mind, it is not “bad.”

It is unconscious.

It is free will being exercised without awareness.

God does not judge. God is always love.

...Suffering must be forgiven. Not excused. Not ignored. Not justified. Forgiven.

When People Forget Who They Are

Sometimes we come here and forget who we are.

We forget our innate goodness. We forget that we are cherished. We forget that we are safe in God’s love.

We get caught up in fear, power, control, systems, and ego. We forget our truth.

And then we do selfish things. Stupid things. Harmful things.

Nobody is denying that real suffering is caused.

But what is undeniable is this:

That suffering must be forgiven.

Not excused. Not ignored. Not justified.

Forgiven.

Seeing With God’s Eyes

God sees the highest potential in all of us. He does not fixate on our worst moments. He does not define us by our lapses.

And that is what we are being asked to learn to do.

We can know that certain behaviors are wrong. We can work to change unjust systems. We can vote. Advocate. Speak. Act.

And at the same time…

We must forgive.

Because forgiveness is how we stay free.

Forgiveness is not about letting injustice continue. It is about refusing to let injustice destroy our souls.

It is about refusing to let injustice destroy our souls.

Why We Must Do This for Ourselves

When we hold hatred, rage, and bitterness in our hearts, we suffer.

We lose access to Spirit. We lose clarity. We lose peace. We lose joy.

Our nervous systems become overwhelmed. Our minds become trapped in fear loops.

Forgiveness is not about letting injustice continue.

It is about refusing to let injustice destroy our souls.

(If you’d like to explore how forgiveness restores our connection to love, you might find this helpful: Unblocking Our Connection to Love)

The Spiritual Challenge of Our Time

This is not easy work.

This is advanced forgiveness.

This is where spiritual teachings become real — or remain theoretical.

It is easy to forgive people who apologize. It is harder to forgive people who don’t think they’ve done anything wrong. It is hardest to forgive institutions that cause widespread harm.

And yet…

This is exactly where forgiveness is most powerful.

Our Invitation

We are being invited to see deeper. To love wider. To forgive harder.

To hold this truth:

Every person involved — even when unconscious — is still created by God. Still loved. Still capable of awakening. Still more than their worst actions.

We can work for justice. We can pray for change. We can support the vulnerable.

And we can forgive.

All at once.

That is the hard work.

And that is the holy work.

--Sue Pipal

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Gentle Next Steps -- from Colleen

If you’d like some nourishment for your next step, you can receive your free eGuide, Out of Your Head, Into Your Light, by simply typing “gift” in the simple form at the bottom of any page at SongRise.live.

And if this kind of inner work feels easier with companionship, come visit a free virtual space called the Bowl of Light Café—a relaxed place to gather and practice reflection, restoration and resourcing together.