Forgiveness...

All my life I've been taught or told about the importance of forgiving those who've wronged me. I've even blogged on "Forgive and Forget? I think not..." (Oct 6th, 2010), on the importance of forgiving others but not necessarily forgetting what happened so you can avoid the same pitfall again. Not that the trespass should be brought up again, for it should be treated like a death, buried and gone, but not forgotten. 

But forgiveness is not just an act of kindness, or mercy, toward the one who's wronged, though there is indeed  a therapeutic reward for the one who is forgiven. But the true value for the one who's wronged and chooses to forgive is internal. The act of forgiving releases the forgiver from a growing root of bitterness, and not releasing another's wrong through forgiveness will create bitterness. Feeling wronged can lead to feelings of animosity, indignation, and often even self-righteousness. All of these are dangerous and allowed to simmer leads to self destruction. But forgiveness frees us from all these; the release allows us freedom to move on, to go forward with our lives, and to continue to grow. Failure to forgive stunts personal growth and keeps us in a holding pattern of negative emotion. And there's nothing so powerful, or destructive, than negative emotion. So let it go; forgive and do yourself a far bigger favor than even the one you've forgiven...

Food for thought...