The Meaning of True Forgiveness

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The Meaning of True Forgiveness

Forgiveness is defined as a merciful act that has to be carried out by both Decisional and Emotional forgiveness; it is a true and genuine factor that is essential to our daily lives. Everyone has had fake forgiveness happen to him or her. It occurs when that one important person does the unthinkable. Finally, that person earns forgiveness to which one would think all is forgotten. But they are not receiving true forgiveness. This is not actually forgiveness.

When it comes down to forgiving someone one has to make that decision to; forgiveness is not something one can carelessly over-look. Worthington and McCullough state that “[D]ecisional Forgiveness involves a change in a person’s behavioral intentions (hence a change in motivation) toward a transgressor.) (4) Decisional forgiveness is more than simply saying the words, “I forgive you.” It is a decision that one really has to absolutely mean. According to The Oxford English Dictionary, “Forgiveness is the action of forgiving; pardon of a fault, remission of a debt, or Disposition or willingness to forgive.” (70) The definition of forgiveness is not continually bringing up the offence. Decisional forgiveness is a decision, made by the individual who was wronged, who truly is willing to forget the whole event because they realize the other person is remorseful. Loving the person after a wrongdoing shows commitment and physically shows the offender they are really forgiven. This is how true forgiveness should be carried out. But different people have different ideas of what forgiveness is. Some people believe they can offend a person and easily ask for forgiveness from that person later. This is not how forgiveness should be look...

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...Talking to another person about the situation and getting their insight on the whole incident might help with the negative feelings. As humans, one tends to easily over react when situations happen. Talking with someone, who gives good advice, can really help one look at the situation and come to reason with it. Many friendships are lost due to petty things and no one having the willingness to forgive each other because of pride. People need to learn to put their pride aside and do what is right and forgive each other.

As a result of permanently forgetting ones wrong doing; forgiveness has to be carried out by both decisional and emotional forgiveness. Otherwise, it is not really true forgiveness. How can one expect to be forgiven by others if one cannot forgive others personally? One is supposed to treat other how they themselves would like to be treated.

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