The Forgiveness Boost

I love it when Biblical principles are validated through scientific research. Such is the case with a article published by The Atlantic magazine called The Forgiveness Boost about the health benefits of forgiveness, even for those who have been victim to the most heinous of crimes.

The health benefits of forgiveness include better health across five measures: physical symptoms, the number of medications used, sleep quality, fatigue, and medical complaints according to a 2005 study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine among participants who considered themselves more forgiving.

The Atlantic article centers around the story of Everett Worthington, a professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University who was actively researching the psychology of forgiveness when his 78-year-old mother was brutally murdered then raped.

Everett’s brother Mike discovered their bludgeoned mom, and both boys had to go through the heart-wrenching process of cleaning up their mother’s bloody and ransacked home.

“It was a traumatic scene and terrible to walk through the house I was raised in and see the evidence of all this violence,” Worthington said.

“I thought, ‘Oh man, here is a guy who has written a book about forgiveness, has taught about this,'” Worthington said of himself. Surely, he thought, an expert on forgiveness could find a way to make peace with even the most heinous perpetrator…He decided he was going to try to forgive [his mother’s] killer.” –The Atlantic

Worthington says he was able to forgive his mother’s killer by applying what he calls the REACH Method.

• Recall the hurt.

• Empathize with the person who wronged you.

• Altruistically give the gift of forgiveness.

• Commit yourself to speak well of the one who hurt you.

• Hold onto forgiveness.

What is so exciting to me is that Worthington’s REACH Method is parallel with Biblical principles. Consider the similarities of the REACH Method and Biblical instruction.

• Recall the Hurt – The Holy Bible says to confess, to tell the Lord about your cares, sorrows, and injustices. This confessing and sharing requires you to recall the hurt. (1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 55:22)

• Empathize with the person who hurt you. The Holy Bible says to love your enemies. To love someone is to in part empathize and understand them. ( Matthew 5:44)

• Altruistically give the gift of forgiveness. The Holy Bible says to forgive those who have wronged you 490 times a day if need be. I can’t think of anything more selfless than that. (Matthew 18:22)

• Commit yourself to speak well of the one who hurt you. The Holy Bible says to bless those that persecute you and wrong you. The word bless in these scriptures actually means to speak well of. (Romans 12:14, Luke 6:28)

• Hold onto forgiveness. The Holy Bible says to repent daily, to pray for our enemies, to always show love and kindness. There are many scriptures that could represent holding onto forgiveness. (Acts 3:19, Luke 24:47, Galatians 5:22-23)

Worthington’s work on forgiveness is impressive and particularly noteworthy in light of all that he has suffered. But how much more incredible is it for Christ followers to realize that by adhering to Biblical principals they were already benefitting from the latest scientific research?

Truly, we serve an incredible, all-knowing, and all-wise God who cares deeply for us and our well-being. He knows our hurts and the injustices we have suffered and, in His love, He has a provided for us a path to wholeness through the teachings of His holy word.

Let’s Pray

Lord, first of all, we pray for Mike and Everett Worthington. We cannot imagine what it must have been like for them to deal with their mother’s murder. Comfort them. And please help them to continue to process and heal. And Lord Jesus, help us to forgive those around us. To be kind. To be merciful. To be quick to forgive. Because when we do, we are acting the most like You. Empower us Lord. We are weak, broken vessels with no real ability on our own. But through you, and your Holy Spirit we can do all things. In Your most precious and holy name. Amen.

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:44)

“Then came Peter to him, and said , Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)