“FORGIVENESS IS OFTEN THE FINAL FORM OF LOVE.”
Who hasn’t been hurt by the actions or words of another person? Perhaps a parent, a sibling, a colleague, a partner. These wounds can leave lasting feelings of resentment, bitterness, and anger—sometimes even hatred.
But if you hold onto that pain, you might be the one who pays most dearly. By embracing forgiveness, you can also embrace peace and hope. Consider how forgiveness can lead you down the path of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Forgiveness means different things to different people. But, in general, it involves a conscious, deliberate decision to let go of resentment and anger. The act that hurt or offended you might always be with you, but working on forgiveness can lessen that act’s grip on you. It can help free you from the control of the person who harmed you.
Experts who study or teach forgiveness make clear that when you forgive, you do not gloss over or deny the seriousness of an offense against you. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, nor does it mean condoning or excusing offenses.
Being hurt by someone, particularly someone you love and trust, can cause anger, sadness, and confusion. Letting go of grudges and bitterness can lead to:
• Healthier relationships
• Improved mental health
• Less anxiety, stress, and hostility
• Lower blood pressure
• Improved self-esteem
• A stronger immune system and improved heart health. Forgiveness is a commitment to change. It takes practice. To move toward forgiveness, you might recognize the value of forgiveness and how it can improve your life, and identify what needs healing and who you want to forgive. Then choose to forgive the person who’s offended you and release the control and power that the offending person and situation have had in your life.
Resentment can sometimes linger for years, even if we believe that we’ve “moved on.” To release resentment, reflect on why the person may have committed the offense and try to forgive the other person. You will release the harmful emotions and be able to reflect on how you have grown from the experience and the act of forgiveness itself.
“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.”
I love you and forgive you…and ask forgiveness from those that I have wronged.
Daniel J Jachimiak, BA, is a writer and speaker. Dan can be reached at djachimiak@bex.net or 419-787-2036. ✲
