Just One More Thing: Forgiveness

I preached the final installment of "Forged In Faith" on Sunday.  I preached on the topic of Love. You can watch all of those sermons on our website at Muncie Baptist Church. I talked a lot about forgiveness, because it is one of the most common issues I see on a regular basis as a pastor--our inability to let things go.  And it leads to all kinds of problems in our families and our workplaces and in our community.  We struggle to let anything go.  We have to be right!  All the time!  

And if you look at our culture today, you'll see what unforgiveness looks like in the real world. It looks like anger. It looks like division. It looks like conflict. It looks like judgement. It looks like grievance.  

One of the comments I got on my message Sunday came from a non-believer with a strong opinion that Christian ideas like "forgiveness" are no longer relevant.  Of course I disagree with that, but just for the sake of argument let me make a non-Christian argument about why forgiveness is so important.  Here's four completely secular reasons why forgiveness is important that have have nothing to do with the Bible at all.  

Mental Health:  Studies at the Mayo Clinic have conclusively demonstrated that letting go of past grievances and grudges is vital in maintaining good mental health. Resolving or letting go of past disagreements (or both) reduce feelings of hostility, stress, anxiety, and depression.  

Physical Health: Holding onto anger keeps the body in a constant "fight or flight" response which means our body is in a continual state of emergency.  Releasing these stressors lower blood pressure, improve heart heath, reduce chronic pain, and strengthens the immune system.

Breaks the Cycle of Victimhood:  There was an article published in "Psychology Today" that talked about how our tendency to hold onto past grievances can change the way we see the world and ourselves within it. We fall into a "victimhood mentality" where we see ourselves as a helpless victim of circumstances and of other people's actions.  And that usually is not the case.  And this false belief leads to a lack of personal responsibility, feelings of helplessness in changing circumstances, and a constant state of complaining and pity-seeking (that sounds like fun).  

Freeing Ourselves Of Guilt:  University studies show that guilt and regret are very harmful to the human sense of well-being.  Studies published in the journal of the American Psychological Association show that forgiving ourselves for past mistakes is just as vital as forgiving others.  It allows us to stop punishing ourselves and move forward with our lives.  

So there you have it!  Four completely secular reasons why forgiveness is so important.  So what are you waiting for?  Why don't you free yourselves of some of that old anger and move on with life free of that weight?  Whether you're doing it for reasons of faith, or because of human research--this seems to be one area where science and religion completely agree.

~Pastor Todd Creason