The True Meaning of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is an important spiritual law, without which we cannot easily manifest our desires.  Jesus frequently spoke about the need to forgive all others before praying to God. Yet, few of us can say that we hold no grudges or resentments against certain others in our lives.

I believe that the reason we cannot forgive others is that we do not know what forgiveness is. Rather, we believe what forgiveness is not. Let’s start with what forgiveness is NOT, then.

Forgiveness is NOT accepting what that person did to you.

Forgiveness is NOT saying that what that person did to you was okay.

Forgiveness is NOT allowing that person back into your life if their behavior is such that they could hurt you again.

So what is forgiveness? 

I had what Oprah Winfrey calls an “Aha Moment” by watching this YouTube video from Oprah’s Lifeclass.

Forgiveness is not accepting what that person did to you; forgiveness is accepting that it has happened to you.

Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be any different than what it was.

Forgiveness is giving up the perception that what had happened to you was bad, giving up the judgment of that action. Then coming back to the present and living here.

After watching this video, I can feel the shift taking place within my soul. I feel the baggage of unforgiveness—the resentment and trauma of a narcissistic and verbally abusive mother—dropping from me.  

I feel the lightness of my being.

Do you have trouble forgiving others? Tell me some stories of your battles with forgiveness. I’d love to hear them.