Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a theme I see frequently in counseling. All of the hurts, injustices, and poor choices often have unforgiveness attached to them. I see clients that have a combination of unforgiveness toward others and self. I’ve heard it said that unforgiveness is spiritual poison. Gary Chapman has a book called the Five Love Languages of Apology. In it he identifies five distinct languages: expressing regret, accepting responsibility, making restitution, genuine repentance, and requesting forgiveness (http://millervillage.wordpress.com/2007/06/04/forgivenessfive-languages-of-apology/). Forgiveness is “a willingness to abandon one’s right to resentment". So often I see client’s that are holding on to justifiable reasons to have resentment but have been unwilling to let go of the rightful ownership of it. Clearly unforgiveness hurts the client much more than whomever they are resentful of and sometimes it has no affect on the other individual. I believe forgiveness is critical in terms of spiritual health and, therefore, emotional health. Choice to let God handle the judging and be willing to let go of resentments.