Ability to forgive strongly correlated with human flourishing: study
“The latest installment of the State of the Bible report focuses on the Secure Flourishing Index, which measures individuals’ life satisfaction when it comes to happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue and close social relationships.” - CPost
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I believe what has really helped me in this index is having a meaning in life. My purpose is to be a servant of Jesus Christ and if I am serving him, I have succeeded. If I continue to be faithful I will have peace. We have been studying Ecclesiastes recently and Solomon realized that most of the things that people look to for fulfilment are just empty. If we look for the wrong things we will be frustrated and miserable. But if we look to God and serve him and find our fulfilment in him, then it is easy to flourish. Godliness with contentment is great gain.
As I read the study, I found it interesting that the younger participants tended to score lower. That doesn't surprise me. I would have scored much lower decades ago as well.
I love what the article had to say about forgiveness. There was a kid in high school who was kind of jerk to my friends and I. I used to have some bitterness toward him. Although I have not seen him since I graduated, he would occasionally come into my memory. After a number of years, I realized my memories of him often turned into sinful vengeful thoughts towards him. I confessed my sin to the Lord and began to pray for him instead. I wasn't long after that, he passed away. He had never married and died young. I am glad I made peace with him even if he never knew it. My life is so much more filled with joy now when I think of some of the hurtful people in my past because now I think about the love Christ had for me and I can have love for them. It is so much more fun to pray for them and to think well of them than to be bitter. It has also helped me to be much more gracious to the people I come in contact with now as well.
I am glad I made peace with him even if he never knew it. My life is so much more filled with joy now when I think of some of the hurtful people in my past because now I think about the love Christ had for me and I can have love for them. It is so much more fun to pray for them and to think well of them than to be bitter.
This has also been my experience. If it’s someone you have regular interaction with, it’s harder to forgive that way, but also more rewarding. One of the words for forgiveness basically means “to release.” Luke uses it twice (apoluo Lk 6:37). (The most common NT word for “forgive” also means “to leave.” aphiemi) Ironically, “letting go” like that is powerfully freeing for forgiver—maybe even more than for the “forgivee.”
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
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