Why forgiveness is important
There's someone close to me who has never been able to forgive the people who wronged him many years ago. Do you know what's happened to him? Besides becoming a narcissistic introvert (kidding)?
He's become bitter.
He couldn't bring himself to forgive in the beginning, the anger built up inside him until he wasn't able to forgive. Forgiveness practically doesn't exist to him.
When you forgive someone, you're not really saying, "oh that's ok, I don't mind that you punched me in the face..."
Forgiveness is meaningful and spiritual, and although it doesn't come easy, it's important.
I'll sum it up with these two quotes by one of my favorit authors, C.S Lewis.
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."
and...
"Forgiveness does not mean excusing."
Or a more popular one by Alexander Pope.
"To err is human, to forgive, divine."
He's become bitter.
He couldn't bring himself to forgive in the beginning, the anger built up inside him until he wasn't able to forgive. Forgiveness practically doesn't exist to him.
When you forgive someone, you're not really saying, "oh that's ok, I don't mind that you punched me in the face..."
Forgiveness is meaningful and spiritual, and although it doesn't come easy, it's important.
I'll sum it up with these two quotes by one of my favorit authors, C.S Lewis.
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."
and...
"Forgiveness does not mean excusing."
Or a more popular one by Alexander Pope.
"To err is human, to forgive, divine."
posted by Jen @ 5:28 PM
2 Comments:
At April 10, 2007 3:29 PM,
Brook Trout Designs said…
The topic of forgiveness seems to be a huge issue lately. Jump over to Toby's blog and check his out.
Forgiveness is necessary for the forgiver as well as the forgiven. The definition of bitterness is "Harbored hurt". Don't hold it in. Humans weren't made to walk around with guilt and other such emotions around. It will change you and never for the positive.
I can't function with unresolved conflict in my life.
At April 11, 2007 12:59 PM,
Jen said…
I know it's a hot topic. That's what got me thinking about forgiveness in the first place.
It's hard for me to imagine not forgiving..like you said it's "harbored hurt." It's a burden.
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