What is Forgiveness?

Welcome to Three-Peat Tuesday!

Building from my recent book UNBEATABLE! Seven Pillars of Personal Excellence, each blog will contain three P’s: Pillar, Principle, and Practical, all geared towards nourishing you on your personal and spiritual growth journey.

Pillar: Forgiveness Hurts

“Forgiveness withheld is like drinking poison and waiting for the offender to die”-Amish Proverbs, Susan Woods Fisher

Principle: Forgiveness Wins

There are few things in this life that I guarantee. The reason is simple. I’m a mere man with limited knowledge. Omniscience belongs to God. However, I can speak boldly about, at least, one area: our collective need to be people that truly forgive.

In my February 2020 blog, “Overlooking Offences” we looked at the inevitability of human failings. We mess up. Others mess up. It’s a broken system and the evidence is ubiquitous. Households, businesses, families and nations are torn apart because we refuse to let things go.

Why forgive, then? It’s for your own good. In September 2014, Psychology Today noted that anger, vindictiveness and resentment are costly and, among other things, can negatively affect both your physical and emotional health. Their research added that higher levels of forgiveness lead to decreased depression.

Consider ancient wisdom that admonishes us as follows: “Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me, I will pay the man back for what he has done.” (Proverbs 24:29). Divine insight from centuries ago tells us to forget about revenge. Things will balance themselves in due course. Give it time.

In the future, whether near or far, you will get hurt again. Friends and enemies alike will be the perpetrators. It’s going happen at home, work, school and in your spiritual community. Guaranteed.

Will you poison yourself by withholding forgiveness? Wiser alternatives exist.

Practical: Forgiveness Frees

Forgiveness is freedom. Choose freedom today.

If you were inspired by this blog, please consider sharing it with one other person today. To learn more about these and other related themes that promote the cultivation of an integrated inner self, read UNBEATABLE! which is now available on Amazon in print and as an e-book.