Two Weaknesses of Forgiving: It Victimizes and Stops Justice | Psychology Today.
When it comes to things that make it difficult to forgive others, a different mix of emotions is at play. More than half of those who find something challenging about granting forgiveness say they fear getting hurt by that person again (53%) or still feel angry (51%).
Forgiveness isn't about weakness. It's about release. It's about letting go of the burdens others placed on you and reclaiming your peace. By setting down their weight, you free yourself to move forward, lighter and unburdened.
The issue of forgiveness is not whether we feel forgiven, but whether we have repented. If we confess our sin and ask God for forgiveness through Christ, we can be assured that He forgives us. Sometimes we don't forgive ourselves even though God has forgiven us.
The good news: Studies have found that the act of forgiveness can reap huge rewards for your health, lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression and stress.
In particular, the tendency to express forgiveness may lead offenders to feel free to offend again by removing unwanted consequences for their behavior (e.g., anger, criticism, rejection, loneliness) that would otherwise discourage reoffending.
If you dwell on hurtful events or situations, grudges filled with resentment and hostility can take root. If you allow negative feelings to crowd out positive feelings, you might find yourself swallowed up by bitterness or a sense of injustice. Some people are naturally more forgiving than others.
Toxic forgiveness occurs when an individual pardons another person prematurely or under duress, often without genuine resolution of the underlying issues. This form of forgiveness can stem from societal pressures, internalized guilt, or a desire to maintain peace at the cost of one's well-being.
Particular personality characteristics of the offending person can protect him/her from feeling guilty or responsible, for example: self-centeredness, blurred boundaries, lack of self-awareness, possessiveness, inability to take responsibility for one's own feelings and behavior, tendency to misinterpret other peoples' ...
Unforgiveness is linked to higher incidences of stress, heart disease, high blood pressure, lowered immune response, anxiety, depression, and other health issues according to a Johns Hopkins study.
Those guilty of committing the unpardonable sin of denying the Holy Ghost and the unforgivable sin of shedding innocent blood must face the justice of God.
Positive (or emotional) forgiveness is a therapeutic process of absolute forgiveness, which also involves reinstituting positive feelings and thoughts toward the offender. Negative forgiveness, on the other hand, is a situation in which forgiveness is extended while brooding over the act of transgression.
It's okay not to forgive because there's no right way to do forgiveness. I've noticed there's an in-between spot too. It's somewhere between complete forgiveness and the anger and hurt that come from wounding. It's a liminal space that we're carried through by our own unique rhythms.
Matthew 6:14 (NIV)
"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." It's important to remember that forgiveness scriptures like Matthew 6:14 remind us that, since God forgives us, we, too, must offer forgiveness to those who have wronged us.
unforgiving (adjective as in merciless) Strongest matches. cruel heartless relentless ruthless unrelenting. Weak matches. pitiless remorseless revengeful uncompassionate unkind unsympathetic.
Yes, but it depends. If you're angry and want retribution, you likely haven't sincerely forgiven the other person. But if you're angry and working toward moving past it, you're probably just experiencing the normal flow of emotions.
"The alternative to forgiveness, but by no means its opposite, is punishment, and both have in common that they attempt to put an end to something that without interference could go on endlessly.
When the first thought you have about them is not the injury they caused in your life, you have probably extended forgiveness. You should be able to have normal thoughts about the person occasionally. Remember, you are dropping the right to get even—the grudge you held against them. An opportunity to help them test.
In particular, the tendency to express forgiveness may lead offenders to feel free to offend again by removing unwanted consequences for their behavior (e.g., anger, criticism, rejection, loneliness) that would otherwise discourage reoffending.
In His strength, we can forgive those who seem undeserving; we can forgive again; we can forgive that which feels unforgivable; and we can finally trade our festering burs of hurt for the vine of His grace-filled redeeming fruit. The choice to forgive is ours today. Even when it still hurts.
If you forgive someone with that feeling that “I have forgiven Him or Her” then it is a sign of weakness, because you have made yourself more important then forgiveness. But when you no longer have that sense of Self Importance, you don't get hurt because there is No One to get hurt.