THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS
He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.
When famous people forgive those who have deeply hurt them, they can inspire many other people to pursue forgiveness in their own lives.
You may have times when you’ve been hurt or feel angry toward someone close to you. They may have said something that devastated you or performed some behavior without thinking that triggered feelings of frustration and anger. And yet you still hope to include them in your life.
The wisest thing to do is to forgive whenever you have these experiences.
But forgiving often proves to be more challenging than you think.
Refusing to forgive harms you more than the individual you’re upset with.
Forgiving allows you to release the pain.
Most grudges become bigger than we are.
You can decide to be the “bigger” person.
Forgiveness bears many fruits.
Vengeance and resentment flourish in those who refuse to forgive.
Take time to consider your own actions and words during the unsavory event.
If you’re struggling to forgive, go over the entire incident in your mind. What did you say? How did you react? How did you end the exchange?
After you gain as clear an understanding as possible about what happened, choose to forgive.
Forgiveness doesn’t have to mean forgetting or condoning crimes. Forgiveness allows us to let go of hate and anger.
Forgiveness has a way of transforming grief, resentment and hate into compassion.
If a guilty person shows true remorse and a desire to change, then one can say they deserve forgiveness. Without that forgiveness, the hate and resentment can ultimately create new suffering.
Forgiveness doesn’t just benefit the guilty. It also relieves the person being asked to forgive. Holding on to resentment, anger and hate only keep people emotionally trapped.
When you decide to live a more conscious existence, you may have more room to forgive those who upset you.
Realizing that forgiveness is in your best interest and the best interest of the other individual involved, you can move forward and rediscover a bright future.
The power of forgiveness is within you. Use it for your own greater happiness.