Everywhere you look, there’s conflict and strife in the world, near and abroad. Whether it’s a disagreement with your spouse or deep-seated resentment towards a friend or colleague, unresolved conflict damages your relationships and your health, too.

According to an article published on the Hopkins Medicine website, “Studies have found that the act of forgiveness can reap huge rewards for your health, lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. And research points to an increase in the forgiveness-health connection as you age.”

Forgiveness has healing power. It can restore peace and heal relationships, and its impact on marriage is profound.

Imagine what your marriage would be like if it overflowed with patience, compassion, and forgiveness…

Imagine if forgiveness were to roll away the burden of hurt and disappointment from your marriage. Your relationship would improve drastically, peace would shine into your relationship as stress and frustration levels subside, and your overall well-being would improve.

Grudges

When was the last time you held a grudge? And how did it make you feel? Did you have a pit in your stomach? Did you have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep? Did you have difficulty staying focused on more important things?

Think about what you lost or missed out on because you chose to stay angry at the other person.

Holding a grudge shatters your peace and harms your health. And the person you’re upset with is living their life as usual; they’re not upset, troubled, or distraught – they don’t even know there’s a problem.

And all you’re doing is poisoning your soul.

All it does is destroy your mental health, make you sick, raise your blood pressure, and weaken your immune system. You don’t sleep well, and you seek to comfort yourself with unhealthy coping mechanisms, like overeating, junk food, working too much, and other addictions.

Do yourself a favor. Forgive. Of course, it won’t be easy, but it’s within your power. Be the bigger person. Take the high road and rise above the hurt. If you can’t do it for them, do it for yourself because you will feel better, like a weight has been lifted. Your mental and emotional health will brighten immediately and do wonders for your physical well-being. 

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is just as much about you as it is about the person you’re forgiving, perhaps even more. Although some people won’t care if you forgive them, some will appreciate it, and some will even demand it. But the beautiful thing about forgiveness is it sets you free so you can be happy again and live a fulfilling life.

When surveyed, sixty-two percent of American Adults say they need more forgiveness in their personal lives.

Are you one of them? Are you burdened by guilt, shame, or resentment? Do you harbor a grudge against someone or hold unkind thoughts towards a person in your life? Is it your spouse? Are you imprisoned by hurt?

It’s time to let go so you have a healthy soul and be happy again. Forgive. And unlock your best life and marriage.