Why forgiveness is good for your health

“Fix your thoughts on what
is true and good and right.
Think about things that are
pure and lovely, and dwell
on the fine and good things
in others. Think about all
the things you can praise
God for and be glad
about” (Philippians 4:8).

I recently read a book review of Forgive
for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health
and Happiness. After five years of
research, the authors found that people
who forgive have decreased stress and
fewer physical symptoms of stress. They
experience greater physical vitality and
feel less hurt and anger.
The authors concluded that the problem
with grudges is that each time we think
about the hurt or anger at the heart of the
grudge, it’s a reminder of the
helplessness we felt when it occurred.
They recommend nine steps for moving
towards forgiveness.

1. Know exactly how you feel about
   what happened.
2. Forgiveness is for you. Make a
   commitment to do what you need to
   feel better.
3. Seek peace — not necessarily
   reconciliation — with the person(s)
   who hurt you.
4. Get perspective and recognize that
   distress comes from hurt feelings
   and thoughts, and not what hurt you
   in the first place.
5. When you feel upset, redirect your
   thoughts to that which is positive.
6. Give up expecting things from other
   people that they choose not to give
   you.
7. Instead of mentally replaying the
   hurt, seek new ways to get what you
   want.
8. Focus on goodness, love, and
   beauty. Remaining in the hurt only
   gives power to the person who hurt
   you.
9. Rewrite the story of the grievance in
   your mind so you can focus on the
   heroic choice to forgive.
   It seems to me that this is much the
   same advice that the Apostle Paul was
   giving in Philippians 4:8.
   Someone said, “The practice of
   forgiveness is the most important
   contribution to healing the world.” What
   do you think?
   It begins with us. How about you?
   Holding on to any grudges? Forgiveness
   is good for your health! Want to help heal
   the world? It begins with you.
   Father, You have given us all
   the principles for our health
   and the healing of the world.
   You know that we always see
   how others need to change,
   but it is our attitudes that will
   begin to effect change. Your
   grace is sufficient for each
   one of us. Thank You that
   Your Holy Spirit will give us
   the will and the power to
   forgive wholeheartedly.
   Amen.