Forgiveness

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never hurt me.  Remember that old saying?  As a child, you used to chant this to anyone calling you names or trying to hurt you.  Hurt can run deep and with that often comes unforgiveness and grudges.  But! Have you ever thought about the healing aspect of forgiveness? 

Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude… Martin Luther King Jr

Working in the healthcare field, we see a lot of ailments.  I often wonder if some of those ailments would be eased or even healed if forgiveness was in their hearts.  Unforgiveness can eat away at you and make your life unhealthy and even miserable. 

Negative Effects of Unforgiveness:

• Increases blood pressure
• Increases depression
• Increases heart disease
• Increases risk of chronic pain
• Causes bitterness
• Loss of joy
• Loss of hope

In simple terms –  unforgiveness quite simply causes you to deteriorate thus producing cracks in your soul and heart.

I was reading a devotional recently about Forgiveness – Forgiveness: Do you need a magic eraser?  It’s quite a good read.  The author gave an analogy about The Magic Eraser – which I am sure is in almost every home – and how it easily erases mistakes and any ‘dirt’ in your home.  Amazingly, when you use one, it makes surfaces sparkle and shine – even areas that you thought were already clean.  This simple white magic eraser wipes clean even the undetected dirt in your life.  

That’s the same way forgiveness works.  When you forgive – let go of the hurt you are carrying – your soul is wiped clean.  You become lighter, shine brighter, and sparkle with joy.  Dumping all that ‘dirt’ into the garbage and sending it off (to God) will allow yourself to be free of all the heaviness weighing your down.  This doesn’t mean you forget what a person may have done to you, but rather, it simply allows you to release the hurt and not harbour ill feelings towards them or wishing bad things to happen. 

Why Forgiveness is Healthy:

• Lowers risk of heart attacks
• Improves cholesterol levels
• Improves sleep
• Decreases pain
• Decreases blood pressure
• Decreases depression
• Decreases stress
• Decreases anxiety
• Keeps you joyful

Having a forgiving heart can actually better your health.  I truly believe that if more people forgave those who have hurt them, we’d have less people with chronic pain.  Less people with depression.  Less people in hospitals and less people in institutes getting help.  

For me, I strive to have a happy day, smile at others, uplift others, think the best of others, and bring joy to others.  Yes, there have been times where I have been hurt, but I have learned that no one is perfect.  That person may be struggling with something that you are unaware of. That doesn’t discredit the hurt you received, but it gives you the opportunity to give grace and understanding and with that. That right there is called forgiveness. 

Forgiveness is the magic eraser for your soul.  Like the sole of your shoe – a lot of weight and dirt can get put on it.  This is true of your inner soul.  Why not use the almighty magic eraser of forgiveness to remove that ugly dirt from within so you can shine like new again.  

This may now spark the need to get the actual magic eraser to clean up those dirty spring shoes as well.  Works like wonders and those white Nike Airs of yours and they will be good and shiny once again as well.

As you go about your day today, why not extend some grace to the stranger driving slow in front of you or to the sweet elderly woman chatting to the cashier that you are patiently trying to go through fast at the check out.  Better yet, call or send a ‘hello’ message to that friend or loved one that you’ve been avoiding because of some silly misunderstood conversation you had long ago.  I would bet they will be thrilled to hear from you and a friendship that was once strong can be rekindled.  

A good life is all how you live it.  Why not live it well – full of kindness, joy, love and forgiveness for others.  It’s actually good for you and you’ll be healthier for it. 

Please Note: Many points of this week’s blog were adapted from the devotional:  Forgiveness: Do you need a magic eraser?