I believe forgiveness is one of the most important topics when it comes to spiritual and physical health. As a pastor’s wife and Holistic Health Coach, time and time again I have seen a person’s refusal to forgive negatively impact their life. I have personally experienced these negative effects in my own life when I have held on to my “right” to be offended and refused to forgive my offender(s).
Here are just a few of the consequences of refusing to forgive:
- We become bitter, angry people
- We let someone else control us
- We become chronically negative and critical
- Our physical health suffers
But for anyone who has been deeply wounded, forgiveness can be very difficult. The deeper the wound, the harder it is to forgive. But, as Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
In his extremely helpful book, Gil Mertz walks readers through the difficult, yet freeing work of forgiveness. He tells his personal story of forgiveness and healing in chapter 1, and then he proceeds to show how refusing to forgive and holding on to bitterness can destroy your life. But forgiveness can bring emotional, spiritual, and physical freedom. I loved how each chapter ended with a forgiveness prayer, questions for reflections, and suggestions for application, which really help the reader to think through and apply what they’ve learned. The forgiveness evaluation at the back of the book was very convicting and worth the price of the book!
If you’ve experienced hurt on any level, I highly recommend this book! The deeper your wound, the harder it will be to forgive. But working toward complete forgiveness should be your goal so that you can experience spiritual, emotional, and physical freedom.
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
