The statement alone does not constitute forgiveness, but rather starts a process for it. The process to forgive someone takes time, which allows couples to address their emotions and concerns before making commitments about the eventual fate of the relationship. According to the Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science:
This creates particular challenges in a relationship. Although the words “I forgive you” may signal the beginning of a process for the speaker (of trying to forgive the transgression), they tend to be seen as the end of the matter by the offending partner who is likely to be only too willing to put the transgression in the past and act as if it never happened. The offending partner may therefore be puzzled, annoyed, or angry when incompletely resolved feelings of resentment about the harm-doing intrude on subsequent discourse or behavior in the