Forgiving others does for you what sunlight does for the aging Spruce tree in your backyard.
It is an act that heals. With power unmatched, it takes crafts you into the person you ought to be. But perhaps most importantly, forgiveness enlightens your mind.
You have faced this dilemma more often than you care to admit. Yet the question remains: to forgive, or not to forgive? Often, the latter is chosen. People elect to retain the negativity caused by another. With a heavy dose of malice they decide to spite the offender by never providing a full pardon.
But by not forgiving you are only harming yourself.
What stops you from forgiving those who have wronged you? What prevents you from moving on? Grudges, however minor they appear, are natural instigators in relationships. Resent ends connections quicker than the cooling of your morning cup of coffee.
Why spend a lifetime agonizing over a bout from your teenage years? What does this inability – or unwillingness – to forgive do for your growth?
Not all wrongs can be easily forgiven.
Nothing can be undone. But you cannot progress if you concentrate on the negative. Letting go of this toxicity requires forgiveness. The path won’t be easy and it does take time. You may find yourself in tears wondering why forgiving that high-school bully is necessary.
But you will soon find peace in the serenity that follows. You will gain comfort in the harmony with which your mind will soon be blessed.
Forgiving is not easy. Having decent thoughts regarding a person who has wronged you is tough. Deeming them worthy of a pardon is even more difficult to muster. But remember – this act of forgiving isn’t necessarily for that person. This act is for you. After all, it is in your best interest to forgive.
Tweet ThisYour life will only be half-fulfilled. One portion of your mind will be forever stuck in the past while the other is focused on reality.
The wrongs carried out by another often outweigh any potential for forgiveness. Still, you needn’t forgive to the wrongdoer’s face. You merely need to pardon enough to save yourself.
You may be wondering why. What is the point in forgiving if the one who caused you harm will never know? Not all acts of mistreatment can be truly forgiven. Not all comments made your dispense can be forgotten. But they can be pardoned enough to save yourself from harm.
You don’t necessarily have to outright forgive another to their face. But you should do so enough to cleanse your soul.
Check out the following benefits of forgiving. Consider who owes you an apology. Is your grudge against that person worth the personal risk? Learn to forgive, even if you don’t want to. It does more good than harm.
1. Heals Your Inner-Demon
You know that need to spite whoever wronged you with a prolonged guilt trip? Can you feel that desire to remain forever hateful after being hurt? That is your inner-demon.
Yet a healthy lifestyle leaves no room for this persona. Why? Because retaining an optimistic outlook is impossible with this guise in control.
That monster may have control of your actions, thoughts, and words. But you can rid yourself of that demon. Through forgiveness, you can loosen the hold that wrong-doer has over you. Until then, you will only spread toxicity. With every touch and each word you speak, your inner-demon will climb inside the unsuspecting minds of others.
A toxic monster that began in one person will only magnify its influence as it spreads.
Fortunately, you can stop this before it begins. Forgive – not only for yourself, but for those around you. Your life will be much better off.
2. Eradicates Your Sense of Defeat
Defeat settles upon you like a constricting sweater. Like a damp fog, it fills the air you breathe. And it sticks to whatever it reaches; grasps whatever bits of you it can find.
This is the feeling you experience after being wronged by another. If you ignore it, you will only suffer. Your mind and body will grow numb. Your optimism will retaliate into the safest corners of your existence. And it will stay there as long as you allow defeat the opportunity to win.
Yet forgiveness will alleviate this setback. It may take time. The effects may not be immediate. Whoever harmed you likely stole something crucial. But you can regain some of what was lost by choosing to forgive.
Your soul is far too significant to lay there – defeated, crushed, and overpowered. Don’t let those who wronged you win. Eradicate this feeling of defeat with the act of forgiveness.
3. Alleviates Pressure Built Up in Your Heart
Holding tight to a grudge requires effort. You may fool yourself into thinking this is the easy path. You might tell yourself a grudge is easier to maintain than choosing to forgive.
But be honest with yourself. Has anyone ever come off of a grudge pleasantly? It’s a high on can never quite come down from. The longer you retain those feelings of anger, the harder it will be to move on. The pressure in your heart will build. Eventually, the burden will become harmful.
You may feel you can handle it. You may deem yourself strong enough to overcome this toxic weight. But this perspective underestimates the strength of such pressure. And this mistake can cost you.
Don’t let this pressure keep hold. Alleviate it through forgiveness. If you don’t, you are only harming yourself.
4. Makes You the Better Person
For those who harmed you – shame on them. Mistakes happen, sure, but to harm without a thought for potential consequences is simply distasteful.
Luckily, you can push ahead. You can achieve a feat many view with apprehension. You can forgive.
No matter what was done, regardless of the harm caused, you can choose to forgive. In doing so, you will be the better person.
A soul who harms for sport believes himself powerful. But the one who forgives retains a power even more influential. Ultimately, the better person will encounter more life opportunities. This isn’t because they went out of their way to knock down those ahead of them. It is because they handled things delicately, yet boldly. It is because they traversed life with optimism.
Through forgiveness you become the better person. Isn’t that worth your time and effort?
Forgiveness Benefits Your Soul
Forgiving the wrongdoer’s of this world may be tough. Your connection with such offenders may never revert to what once was. You may find your inner-demon peeking through often. And let’s be fair – the healing process will be tough.
But through forgiveness you will achieve greatness.
No matter how painful or defeated you feel, you can be the better person. It simply takes the first step to get there. And your life is worth it.
Forgive those who have done you wrong. Do this for yourself. Because in the end, you are in control of your journey. A negative path will only harm you.
