Why forgiveness is important, you ask? 

As a mom in my late 30’s, I’ve lived long enough to understand life is short.  Forgiveness is important.

I have a little person who depends on me for everything and it can be draining.  I don’t want to sit around and waste our precious short time together, here on earth, being mad and holding grudges.  Some days are long but the cliche is true: the years are short.  Forgiveness is important. 

Forgiveness is a skill worth learning and improving upon. It’s a lot more about you than the other person and there are some very good reasons why you should be forgiving. Here are three of the main reasons why forgiveness is important.

Forgiveness Gives You Strength

Forgiveness isn’t about letting someone off the hook. It’s about coming to terms with an event or an experience to the point where you can let go and find peace. It’s about releasing the anger and resentment that are holding you back and making you miserable.

Forgiving someone doesn’t make you weak. It shows strength. It takes a lot to forgive and getting to that point is an important part of the healing process. Don’t ever think of forgiveness as weakness. It takes strength and knowing you can forgive and move on shows you just how strong you are and how far you’ve come.

Forgiveness Gives You Peace

Holding on to a grudge takes a lot of mental energy. And it’s negative energy that drains you and leaves you feeling stressed and depressed. In other words, being angry and resentful isn’t good for you or your mental well-being.

Forgiving, on the other hand, changes all that. The more you forgive, the more at peace you will feel. Start small if you have to, but make it a habit of forgiving. Once you begin to experience the peace of mind forgiving the other person gives you, you’ll be encouraged to forgive more and more often. All it takes is one small step to start. You can do this.

Forgiveness Allows You To Be Happy Again

Once you get to that place of forgiveness and peace, something amazing happens. A significant weight lifts off your shoulders, the sadness and anger start to melt and you find that you have room in your heart and your mind to be happy again.

Forgiveness is kind which is a lesson we need to model and teach our kiddos.

While being angry and holding on to a grudge for a long time can lead to depression and all sorts of health issues caused by stress, letting go and forgiving does the exact opposite. It helps you let go, relax, distress and start to feel better about yourself and your life. Forgiveness is a powerful thing and something that’s a lot more about you and what it does for you and your well-being than it is the other person. Start forgiving and let happiness back into your life. It’s well worth it – I promise.

I’ve found some great books written on forgiving.  My personal favorite is “Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go” by Abingdon Press but again, there are many.

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