The Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is hard.  I've been wronged a couple times, nothing serious, but it isn't always easy to just let things like that go sometimes.  In the documentary As We Forgive several people are faced with the question of forgiving the murderers of their families.  I can't even begin to imagine what that must be like.  All the emotion and memories would probably haunt me for days after just seeing that person, let alone having a deep moral conversation with them.  I'm not exactly sure if I'd be able to do it.  I'd like to, but I don't know if my emotions would get the best of me or not.  

Looking at forgiveness from a physical standpoint, it reduces stress and anxiety, I'm sure it lowers blood pressure, and probably has all sorts of other unknown health benefits.  I know that cheerful people tend to be healthier than others, and I've never heard of someone who was cheerful and held a grudge.  Spiritually, forgiveness is equally or possibly even more beneficial.  It teaches us humility, and allows us to forgive ourselves after we have done something wrong.  Nobody is perfect, and if everyone forgave others for past mistakes unbelievable changes could be brought about in the world.  I am not saying that everyone should ignore crime and other hurtful practices saying "oh, I forgive you" as they proceed to knife you.  It is more of an understanding that we are all human, and that what we have done in the past may not reflect what we are now.  We all learn from our mistakes, because if we never messed up we wouldn't be truly learning.  

I pray that if I am ever put in a situation similar to Ishmael Beah or any of the surviving Rwandans that I'd be able to forgive others as God forgives me.