Summary
The article titled “Letting Go of Resentment and Anger” explores the concept of forgiveness from the perspective of its relationship with anger and resentment. The author gives two meanings of the word forgiveness: to let go of anger and resentment and to give up the pursuance of punishment for recompense for an offense that has been committed by another person (Hanson). The author focuses the content of the article on the first meaning.
Many people avoid forgiveness because it can sometimes mean condoning or approving someone’s behavior. Though the action is viewed as morally reprehensible, it is possible to let go of anger, and take the necessary action to make sure that it does not occur again. Many people perceive forgiveness as a loft concept that is applicable to big situations only (Hanson). However, it mainly occurs in the small occurrences between people. The author contends that the individual who forgives is the main beneficiary. First, forgiveness is usually given to people who do not know that they wronged others. Second, it takes a lot of weight off of one’s heart.
Forgiveness serves several purposes: it frees people from the effects of anger and retribution, and it eliminates the victim’s prevailing mentality and replaces it with a proactive one that changes personal attitudes. Moreover, it introduces people to the truth regarding the numerous factors that are involved in shaping behavior. Personal forgiveness can be preceded by significant changes in someone’s thought patterns, attitudes, words, and behaviors (Hanson).
In that regard, the individual builds upon their natural goodness, which benefits them and other people. The author also explores various ways that can be used to foster forgiveness. Taking care of and protecting oneself and others is important. This should be accompanied by being proactive in the repair of damage caused by others in that regard, forgiveness is accomplished by asking for support, honoring the wound, checking one’s story, pursuing inner peace, appreciating the value of forgiveness, and seeing the big picture. In addition, it is unnecessary to take wounds personally.
Human beings are social in nature. Therefore, talking to other people who can bear witness to the wrongs that have been done against someone is helpful. In a similar manner, it is important to bear witness to the wrongs done to other people in order to help them to forgive others. It is important for people who have been wronged to face the hurt, anger, and injustice of their experiences (Hanson). Forgiveness comes from allowing the thoughts, feelings, and desires associated with painful experiences to pass away on their own. Opening up to this pain promotes the process of forgiveness. Letting go of anger and resentment can be accelerated by checking one’s story regarding the magnitude of an incident. Putting it in perspective helps to evaluate other possibilities that could help in enhancing one’s understanding of situations and forgiving others.
The failure to embrace forgiveness is very costly because it leads to the buildup of anger and resentment in the heart, which could have serious long-term physical and psychological effects. Therefore, the cost of holding on to anger and resentment costs more than the price one pays for laying those burdens down. Actions emanated from a plethora of causes and factors, some of which are beyond one’s control. It is necessary for people to consider these uncontrollable factors that could have been the cause of a reprehensible action in order to speed up the process of forgiveness. Life is characterized by both bad and good situations.
Embracing this realization helps individuals to not take wounds personally because as long as one is alive, unpleasant situations are bound to come and afflict them every day. Finally, pursuing inner peace is a vital component of letting go of anger and resentment. This can be achieved by staying away from people who promote negativity, focusing on positive stuff, and ridding the brain of any thoughts that are associated with past hurts.
Personal Reflection
The article captures the reality of life that many people have to contend with: the experience of being wronged by others and the need to forgive them and find inner healing. The author explores the concept from the perspective of its benefits, especially with regard to letting go of anger and resentment. The article is well written and it is easy to understand. The author uses simple language that everyone can understand and begins by defining the meaning of the word forgiveness.
The article is well structured because it is divided into two main sections. The first part discusses the meaning of the word and its benefits. The second section explores the various ways in which individuals can learn to forgive easily. Forgiveness is an important element of a peaceful and happy life. Therefore, learning how to forgive others by letting go of the anger and resentment that is associated with being hurt is inevitable. The author offers the readers several tips that can be applied practically to speed up the process of forgiveness. The article is very insightful and I would recommend it to other people.
Work Cited
Hanson, Rick. “Forgiveness: Let Go of Resentment and Anger.” Psychology Today, 2021. Web.