Helping to forgive
10 Fundamental facts about forgiveness
1) Forgiveness releases the power of an offending person
2)It is a process without an end destination
3)It is free to give and anyone can do it.
4)Has physiological benefits as well as psychological ones
5)Enlarges the future
6)Doesn't mean forget - actually draws us closer to the original wound
7) Helpful to the forgiven and the forgiver
8)Isn't dependant on the other person - forgiveness is for you!
9)Can bring freedom.
10) Is not without it's drawbacks and limitations.
2)It is a process without an end destination
3)It is free to give and anyone can do it.
4)Has physiological benefits as well as psychological ones
5)Enlarges the future
6)Doesn't mean forget - actually draws us closer to the original wound
7) Helpful to the forgiven and the forgiver
8)Isn't dependant on the other person - forgiveness is for you!
9)Can bring freedom.
10) Is not without it's drawbacks and limitations.
All of us know something about forgiveness and it's definition. All of us at some point have come across the word in literature, on television, at church or in our daily lives. This website was created with the intention of examining the subject of forgiveness and as an aid to help people who are wrestling with forgiving others in their own lives. Also i hope to collect links to resources about the topic of forgiveness.
The subject of forgiveness is so vast and complex it is difficult to know where to begin. Perhaps with the oxford dictionary definition of forgiveness:
"Forgive. 1) Stop feeling angry or resentful towards a person who has done something hurtful or wrong 2) Excuse an offence or mistake."
While this definition is accurate, it is also very narrow, implying that forgiveness is something we do exclusively for ourselves. While forgiveness is primarily for you, it can also help the other person. Forgiveness can help lift psychological burdens of both victim and criminal. However, the definition is accurate in that forgiveness certainly helps relieve anger and hatred. It is said that forgiveness is the most important process in our lives when building peace and harmony. "He who can not forgive burns the bridge over which he himself must cross"
Perhaps you have been betrayed by a lover or trust has been broken between a former colleague and you want to somehow repair the damage done. Forgiveness is often the elixir than can help repair relationships amongst groups, communities and loved ones.
Forgiveness is not the same as forgetting. We remember the hurt but we are allowed to move past it towards the future. Somebody once said that forgiveness is giving up the hope of a better past. While the past has happened, by dwelling upon it we are unable to move forwards in our lives and therefore become a victim of the past. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and realise that the prisoner was you.
Forgiveness has often been considered to be within the realms of religion and spirituality. However, in todays increasingly secular society, there are experiments and research being done on the value of this age old practice. An act of forgiveness can help you in times of trouble, with family situations and in the work environment. It's inevitable that eventually something someone has done to you, or something that you have done, will begin to eat away at your ability to find happiness. We live in an imperfect world where bad things happen to good people and good people do bad things. Therefore the practice of forgiveness is an important one if we are too reach our true potential in this life.
Often relationships can deteriorate is not cared for. Fathers and sons can fall out and go without speaking for years. Lovers are torn apart because of infidelity and work colleges can disagree over business deals. While forgiveness is not some magical cure for all our relationship ills - it's certainly a means of patching over old wounds and damages done.
The relationship between forgiveness and freedom is also well documented and is something we shall explore later on this website. I myself was trapped in an unhealthy relationship until I found the courage to forgive and free myself. Forgiveness breaks the chains that binds you to a person or an offence. Some of these chains have been around for years possibly even passed down from former generations. Unforgiveness can weigh us down and keep us trapped in unhealthy habits and behaviours.
The subject of forgiveness is so vast and complex it is difficult to know where to begin. Perhaps with the oxford dictionary definition of forgiveness:
"Forgive. 1) Stop feeling angry or resentful towards a person who has done something hurtful or wrong 2) Excuse an offence or mistake."
While this definition is accurate, it is also very narrow, implying that forgiveness is something we do exclusively for ourselves. While forgiveness is primarily for you, it can also help the other person. Forgiveness can help lift psychological burdens of both victim and criminal. However, the definition is accurate in that forgiveness certainly helps relieve anger and hatred. It is said that forgiveness is the most important process in our lives when building peace and harmony. "He who can not forgive burns the bridge over which he himself must cross"
Perhaps you have been betrayed by a lover or trust has been broken between a former colleague and you want to somehow repair the damage done. Forgiveness is often the elixir than can help repair relationships amongst groups, communities and loved ones.
Forgiveness is not the same as forgetting. We remember the hurt but we are allowed to move past it towards the future. Somebody once said that forgiveness is giving up the hope of a better past. While the past has happened, by dwelling upon it we are unable to move forwards in our lives and therefore become a victim of the past. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and realise that the prisoner was you.
Forgiveness has often been considered to be within the realms of religion and spirituality. However, in todays increasingly secular society, there are experiments and research being done on the value of this age old practice. An act of forgiveness can help you in times of trouble, with family situations and in the work environment. It's inevitable that eventually something someone has done to you, or something that you have done, will begin to eat away at your ability to find happiness. We live in an imperfect world where bad things happen to good people and good people do bad things. Therefore the practice of forgiveness is an important one if we are too reach our true potential in this life.
Often relationships can deteriorate is not cared for. Fathers and sons can fall out and go without speaking for years. Lovers are torn apart because of infidelity and work colleges can disagree over business deals. While forgiveness is not some magical cure for all our relationship ills - it's certainly a means of patching over old wounds and damages done.
The relationship between forgiveness and freedom is also well documented and is something we shall explore later on this website. I myself was trapped in an unhealthy relationship until I found the courage to forgive and free myself. Forgiveness breaks the chains that binds you to a person or an offence. Some of these chains have been around for years possibly even passed down from former generations. Unforgiveness can weigh us down and keep us trapped in unhealthy habits and behaviours.