Nov 7, 2009
The Importance Of Forgiveness In A Relationship
Forgiveness is one of the most important ingredients of any healthy relationship. To put it in the words of Bryant H. McGill: “There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love”. In this article we will take a closer look at why is forgiveness important in a relationship.
Forgiveness is not that complicated, but it’s not easy either. In order to forgive you have to give up unhelpful, destructive thoughts and try to focus on the possibility of a better future. If you learn how to forgive, you will have the ability to positively affect the situation.
We are only human and we all make mistakes. Forgiving is accepting the past for what it is and moving on. It’s not about forgetting or excusing the wrong that was done. It’s about releasing the anger and bitterness. Forgive, don’t forget, and try to move on. A wise man once said: “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.”
Inability to forgive can have a devastating effect on any relationship. How can you find love and happiness, if you continue to cling on to things that happened in the past. It takes a lot of courage to forgive, but until you’re not freed from the past, you can not fully embrace the future.
I know it’s hard when you feel betrayed, let down, afraid, and disappointed. This is life, there will always be problems, but it’s how you deal with them that matters. To improve your ability to forgive, you have to learn how to let go. Stop pointing fingers and blaming others for all the negativity you feel. Recognize that the emotions are coming from you. Try to see the positive aspects and try to move towards positive goals in life. Mentally replaying negative experiences certainly won’t help.
Forgiveness can actually have some real positive physical effects on you. It’s good for your heart – literally. Less stress, lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, better sleep are just some of the benefits you can expect.
To sum it up, practicing forgiveness leads to a healthy and happy relationship. It’s good for your emotional, mental and physical health. If you decide to let go of anger and start working on forgiveness, I can guarantee you – it will pay off.
