What St. Paul wrote is true: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23). We all need forgiveness from God and from each other – over and over again. But we all need forgiveness in another way. We all need to be forgiving. This isn’t need in the sense of ought or should; rather it is need in the sense of basic requirement for whole and healthy living. It’s a need like breathing or eating. Human beings are made for relationships. When our relationships are broken, forgiveness is the way we reclaim the Creator’s intention for us.
That forgiveness is a basic human need has been demonstrated even through scientific studies. People who are forgiving, when compared with those who are not, evidence many positive results. For example, they have lower blood pressure, have fewer physical complaints, and report being happier and more hopeful. Walking the path of forgiveness is beneficial to our mental health and physical well-being, and it improves our relationships.
This message is excerpted from “As we forgive” by E. Louise Williams in the January/February 2015 Gather magazine.
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