What does forgiveness look like in your life? Do you know what it is to forgive someone who has hurt you deeply?
Forgiveness can be a difficult thing, but when we choose to do so with an open heart, the benefits are amazing.
When we refuse to forgive others or ourselves for our mistakes, then resentment and bitterness come into play.
The truth of the matter is that by not forgiving people in our lives, we’re hurting ourselves more than anyone else.
This blog post will provide practical ways on how to release yourself from the chains of unforgiveness through reading about some of the best books on forgiveness!
Why should I Forgive?
The primary reason to forgive is to be able to let go of the anger and pain that you are holding on to.
Forgiveness will free your mind, body, emotions, and spirit from carrying around baggage that doesn’t belong there anymore.
Best Books on Forgiveness and letting Go
Below, we review some of the best books on forgiveness and letting go that will help you to release yourself from the pains of your past.
1. Forgiveness: The Greatest Healer Of All by Jerry Jampolsky, M.D.
In this book, Dr. Jerry Jampolsky discusses how there are many benefits in forgiving others who have hurt us throughout our lives, including a healthier heart, lower blood pressure, less anxiety, and guilt.
Dr. Jerry Jampolsky discusses the importance of forgiveness to not only heal others but also ourselves because we all need to be forgiven from time to time as well!
2. Forgiveness by Iyanla Vanzant
In this book, Iyanla Vanzant discusses the importance of forgiveness in our everyday lives.
She talks about how unforgiveness affects you spiritually and emotionally without providing peace or freedom from your past pains that keep haunting you, no matter what you do.
Iyanla Vanzant explains how important it is to forgive yourself and others so you can let go of the past, release resentment, guilt, anger, blame, and pain.
You will be able to live in the present moment without carrying around emotional baggage that may affect your future happiness.
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3. Letters To My Daughters by Maya Angelou
Author, poet, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou provides wisdom to her daughter on the importance of forgiveness in this book.
Maya encourages her daughter to forgive others who have hurt us because it’s not about what they deserve, but how we can grow from the experience without carrying around anger.
She also talks about how it’s okay to be angry, but the trick is not allowing anger to take over your life.
In this book, Maya Angelou provides great wisdom for living a peaceful and happy life by practicing forgiveness.
4. The Power of Forgiveness by Colin Tipping
In this book, author Colin Tipping discusses how forgiveness can be difficult, but at the same time, it’s one of the most powerful things you will ever do for yourself.
The power to forgive allows us to let go and set free others who have hurt us in our lives while also setting free ourselves from carrying around emotional baggage that limits our happiness.
Colin provides real-life stories about why we should practice forgiveness instead of holding grudges against people who don’t deserve them anymore because they are not worth your energy or emotions!
These were just some of the best books on forgiveness available today. If you’re looking for ways to live a happier and more peaceful life, then practicing forgiveness is a good starting point.
5. Forgiveness: A Bold Choice for a Peaceful Heart by Robert D. Enright, Ph.D
In this book, Dr Robert Enright discusses the importance of forgiveness in our lives not only to free ourselves but also others who have wronged us in some way or another.
He provides practical exercises on how you can practice forgiving yourself and other people, including family members like your parents, which might be difficult at first but will provide great benefits later on!
6. Forgive for Good by Fred Luskin, Ph.D
In this book, Dr. Frederick Luskin discusses the importance of forgiveness in our lives for emotional healing and releasing anger that keeps us from living a peaceful life with others or ourselves.
He talks about how most people believe that forgiving requires forgetting but it’s not true because if you forget something, then you are likely to repeat it again somewhere down the line, which is why he suggests focusing on letting go instead!
7. Judgement Detox by Gabby Bernstein
While this book does not focus on forgiveness specifically, there is a clear link between judgment and forgiveness.
This book was especially beneficial in my efforts to personal forgiveness. This is an issue that isn’t widely discussed but might be the restraining force preventing you from forgiving others.
When you can’t even forgive yourself for your mistakes, it’s difficult to extend compassion to others.
This book explains how judgment may be keeping your emotions at bay and releasing them.
8. The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has first-hand experience and understanding of individuals’ desire to forgive major transgressions.
He was the Chairman of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission following apartheid.
He offers advice on how to forgive in this book, covering the four phases for healing as well as other topics, such as what forgiveness is and why it’s important. But his explanations go much deeper than that.
9. The Blessing by Dr. John Trent and Gary Smalley
Dr. John Trent discusses the importance of forgiveness in relationships with others, especially those we love and care for most, like our parents or friends.
He also talks about how to forgive yourself if you feel that you’ve done something wrong because it’s not just what others have done, but also in what you’ve done that needs forgiveness.
This book provides practical steps on how to forgive and move forward with your life!
10. The Power of Forgiveness: A Guide to Healing and Wholeness by Robert D. Enright, Ph.D
In this book, Dr. Robert Enright explains the stages of forgiveness and how to forgive others, including family members like parents or siblings, even when it’s difficult because they simply don’t deserve your forgiveness anymore!
Forgiveness is not about saying that what happened was okay, but instead letting go of any feelings you have towards the people who have done you wrong in the past.
11. Let It Go: Forgive So You Can Be Forgiven by T.D Jakes
T.D Jakes offers a practical guide to understand forgiveness between individuals and society as well but also provides guidelines on how we can forgive ourselves for our mistakes and transgressions!
He gives examples from his own life and experiences in order to explain why it is important that you learn this skill of forgiving others so that you don’t have the same problems in life.
12. The Art of Forgiving by Lewis B. Smedes
Lewis Smedes is a Christian minister who also teaches at Fuller Theological Seminary, an American multi-denominational seminary that focuses on the study and spreading of Christianity around the world.
He provides biblical references to show why forgiveness is necessary in our lives as well as practical steps that you can take in order to extend forgiveness towards others and yourself.
13. Heal: Discover Your Unlimited Potential and Awaken the Powerful Healer Within by Kelly Noonan Gores
Originally, this book was intended to be a documentary. While the main emphasis is on healing the body, it also explores the physical effects that our emotions might have on us.
The longer we keep those poisonous sentiments bottled up, the more debilitated we become.
This book/documentary stresses the significance of allowing good feelings into our lives.
Tapping, sound therapy, and counseling are also provided as methods for releasing negative emotions.
14. Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go by Adam Hamilton
This book looks at forgiveness from a Bible perspective. It has tips that you can apply to the process, versus just a theoretical approach to forgiveness.
It is shorter than other books on forgiveness, so it is a good place to start if you are feeling the pain of hurt. Then you can move on to longer books while beginning your healing work.
FAQ
How do I start forgiveness?
In order to start forgiving someone, you have to first understand what forgiveness is and why it’s necessary.
You can do this by reading about the topic or speaking with a friend, family member, or counselor who has experienced loss.
Once you know specifically what needs to be forgiven regarding your experiences, then begin the process of forgiving those people so that you can move on with your life.
What is the best book on forgiveness?
It depends on your needs! Some people need a shorter, more concise read while others need a longer, more in-depth explanation.
You should find one that matches your needs or seek out multiple books on forgiveness until you find the perfect fit!
What if I don’t feel like forgiving?
If you are struggling with this step, it is actually quite normal. Many people fight to forgive others because they believe that they shouldn’t forgive.
After all, the other person ‘wronged’ them!
The truth is that forgiveness doesn’t mean you are saying what happened was okay; it just means that you’re letting go of your negative feelings towards someone else so that they no longer affect your life negatively.
What are the steps for forgiving someone?
The next step toward releasing yourself from the weight of unforgiveness starts with prayer.
This is a good way to let go of the negative feelings in your life and allowing positive energy back into your daily routine.
What are the benefits of forgiveness?
There have been a number of studies that show how forgiving can be beneficial for your health and well-being.
It lowers our blood pressure, lessens depression symptoms, reduces stress, boosts immunity, and improves sleep quality!
How do I know I have forgiven?
You can know you have completely forgiven someone when the pain of what they did to hurt you becomes a distant memory.
It is important that this person does not cross your mind on an everyday basis, because if it feels like they are constantly influencing your thoughts, there may still be work to do in order for true forgiveness.
What are the 7 Steps to Forgiveness?
Step One: Admit to yourself that you are hurting or have been hurt by someone else.
This may be the most difficult part of forgiving, but only if you refuse to acknowledge your feelings and pain.
Be brave enough to look at these emotions head-on! You can do it!
Step Two: Recognize that there was nothing that made this happen other than the act itself; no thought, belief, action (or inaction), etc., is responsible for what happened.
There isn’t something wrong with you because someone treated you like dirt; sometimes people just make bad choices in their lives without thinking about how they might affect others around them. It’s important not to let anyone make us feel ashamed of our past.
Step Three: Realize that the circumstances or events of what happened to you are not your fault.
The other person is 100% responsible for their actions, and it’s important to remember this when forgiving them. We need to take accountability for our own lives!
Step Four: Allow yourself the dignity to decide if forgiveness from others will be part of your healing process.
Forgiveness doesn’t have a timeline; some people may never forgive, while others might take years before they can even think about moving forward with their life without resentment towards another human being who mistreated them in one way or another.
Step Five: Decide how far-reaching you want forgiveness to go inside yourself.
Do you want complete freedom from all negative emotions or just a release from some?
Forgiveness is completely individualized, and what one person needs may be different from the next.
It’s important to take this step seriously because you will have to live with your decision forever!
Step Six: Decide if there are any actions that need to be done on behalf of another in order for forgiveness inside yourself.
If it means contacting someone who hurt you so they can apologize, then do it; but only after taking time for yourself first in order to decide how much care you want them involved in your life again.
If not apologizing at all is an option, then decide when enough is enough before moving forward with your own goals toward healing.
Step Seven: Set up a plan with a timeline in order for you to move forward and not back into the trauma of what happened.
It is easy to get stuck when it comes to forgiveness, and if this happens, then take some time away from thinking about the situation until you can come up with an actionable plan that will help bring peace inside yourself again.
What do I need to know when forgiving someone?
Forgiveness does not mean forgetting; we cannot erase events or circumstances in our memories because they were terrible experiences.
But through practicing forgiveness, we are able to even welcome positive change within ourselves – which isn’t something anyone should be discouraged by!
Forgiving means you have moved on without needing revenge against another person who did wrong by hurting us intentionally or otherwise.
How do you forgive the best book?
There is no “best” book to read specifically on forgiveness; every person has different perspectives and needs, which means reading more than one source can help you find out what resonates with your personal beliefs.
Every avenue for self-healing should be looked at as an option when it comes to this part of our lives!
What are some forgiveness quotes?
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” —Mahatma Gandhi
Forgiving someone for a wrong done to you doesn’t mean that what they did was okay, but rather we have chosen peace and happiness over letting them control how we feel about ourselves anymore.
What are some examples of books on forgiveness?
A Course in Miracles is a great book to start with because it doesn’t hold any judgment toward anyone who has made mistakes along their life path.
It teaches that everyone deserves love regardless of where they find themselves in their lives right now, and that it’s never too late to start over.
How can I forgive like Jesus?
Jesus was a living, breathing human being just like us who had to go through incredible things – crucifixion included.
But for all the pain that he experienced, Jesus didn’t hold onto any hatred or bitterness after he rose from the grave and ascended into Heaven again with God!
That is what it means to forgive unconditionally: even when it seems impossible, you keep on reminding yourself that everyone deserves love.
What are some forgiveness books for children?
Forgiving Ourselves: A Book of Hope & Courage for Adults and Children Alike is a great book to use with children because it uses animals as an analogy instead of the usual political cartoons or adult-oriented characters.
How is forgiveness a decision?
Forgiveness is a decision for your own well-being – something that should never be taken lightly, as it’s one of the hardest things to do in life.
If you’ve been holding onto any pain from what happened, then make the choice now before moving forward, because this will help close those doors forever!
Can you forgive someone and never talk to them again?
Yes, you can forgive someone and never speak to them again because this is your life!
But if it’s an option for you, then take some time away from the relationship before deciding how much contact you would like with that person in order to heal.
What are other examples of books on forgiveness?
The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness & Peace by Jack Kornfield is a great book on forgiveness because it helps the reader realize that peace within oneself can be found no matter what stage of life they’re in at this moment.
What are some examples of books about forgiving yourself?
Stumbling Blocks: Facing and Embracing Your Mistakes for a Brighter, Deeper Future is a great book on forgiving yourself because it teaches that everyone makes mistakes and we must start learning from them instead of allowing the past to keep repeating itself.
Is it OK to never forgive someone?
No, it’s not safe to never forgive someone because even if you don’t think they deserve your forgiveness right now, the only person who is harmed in that situation is yourself.
Forgiveness can be a difficult process for some people; there are no rules about when or how long this part of healing should take! It all depends on the individual and what they need for themselves.
How can I forgive myself after cheating?
Forgiving yourself after cheating is a process, and it’s important to take your time.
You may always feel guilty about what happened, but that doesn’t mean you should beat yourself up anymore; making peace with the past will help you move forward into positive future experiences!
What happens when we forgive?
When we forgive, our hearts begin to open again – even if it’s just a crack at first.
We can then begin to see the world in color instead of black and white, allowing ourselves once more to love unconditionally without any conditions!