3 Points to Consider About Forgiveness
November 12th, 2006 (Forgive)
One of the biggest mistakes most of us make in our minds about forgiveness is that it somehow lets the “bad guy” off the hook. It doesn’t. Forgiveness is simply the healing of your own mind and heart.
Holding anger, resentment and hatred toward another injures your mind and heart; therefore, it follows that releasing those emotions through forgiveness would bring healing. Here are some points to consider about forgiveness:
1. Forgiveness is for people, not despicable actions. Some actions are unthinkably horrible and absolutely unforgivable. Human beings can be worthy of forgiveness, even if their actions are not.
2. Forgiveness does not absolve the wrongdoer of the wrongdoing. Forgiving someone is merely the decision to release the pain, fear and anger from your own mind and return to love. You can easily see the relationship to grieving here.
3. Forgiving someone does not imply approval of their behavior or wrongdoing, nor does it assume that they will not do harm again in the future.