“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12 KJV).
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:30-32 NIV).
Forgiveness is in vogue these days in the scientific community. Many psychologists are touting its beneficial effects for the mind and body.
As psychologist Fred Luskin, director of Stanford University’s Forgiveness Projects and a researcher in the field has said, “Who would have thunk it — that something locked away in religious culture could be turned into a secular training program.”
Who would have “thunk” it indeed. Dr. Luskin seems surprised that something that Jesus taught over 2,000 years ago would have such relevance to his field of study today. The truth is psychologists are finding the use of “forgiveness therapy” and “forgiveness training” to have overwhelmingly good results.
Psychologist Robert Karen, in his book, The Forgiving Self, describes case histories of patients who have benefited by forgiving. Another clinical psychologist, Everett Worthington, Jr., author of Five Steps to Forgiveness: The Art and Science of Forgiving, has documented similar insights.
Worthington has found that people who won’t forgive tend to have negative indicators of health and well-being, such as: more stress-related disorders, lower immune system function, and worse rates of cardiovascular disease than average. In effect, by failing to forgive, they punish themselves. Unforgiving people experience higher rates of divorce and a lower life expectancy.
In contrast, Worthington finds that forgiving people have better overall health, fewer episodes of depression, longer marriages, better social support, and live longer lives.
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray for the Father to forgive them as they forgave others, he was teaching them more than a prayer. He was teaching them a lifestyle.
In essence, Jesus teaches us to pray and live like this: “Father, let your forgiveness flow to us and through us to others.”
I’m glad the psychologists are catching on. People can get real help heeding the words of Christ.
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