The Day to forgive and be forgiven!

According to Jana Brown, an Atlantic City Holidays Examiner, in 1994; the Christian Embassy of Christ’s Ambassadors created the holiday ‘Global Forgiveness Day’ celebrated annually on every August 27th and July 7^th. The holiday which originated in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; is meant for all to practice forgive and being forgiven.

Nonetheless, Global Forgiveness Day is not to be confused with International Forgiveness Day, which is celebrated on the first Sunday of August, and was created by the World Forgiveness Alliance, a non-denominational, educational foundation; even though the message is presumable the same, ‘awakening the healing power of forgiveness worldwide’!

Looking into the word “Forgiveness” the free encyclopedia defines it as the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, and lets go of negative emotions such as vengefulness, with an increased ability to wish the offender well.

Below are a few facts about forgiveness as we mark Global Forgiveness Day:

• Our world is full of unresolved conflicts; internationally, locally and in our homes. The nature of man is intertwined with conflict and resolution; and historically, confrontation has often been our best resort to trying to resolve conflict.
• The first study to look at how forgiveness improves physical health discovered that when people think about forgiving an offender, it leads to improved functioning in their cardiovascular and nervous systems.

• A study at the University of Wisconsin regarding forgiveness found that, the more forgiving people were, the less they suffered from a wide range of illnesses. On the other hand, the less forgiving they were, the greater number of health problems.

• Again, in three separate studies on Catholics and Protestants from Northern Ireland whose family members were murdered in political violence, the study found that, people who are taught how to forgive become less angry, feel less hurt, are more optimistic, become more forgiving in a variety of situations and are more compassionate and self-confident, which further recorded a reduction in experience of stress, physical manifestations of stress, and an increase in vitality them.

That said, we need to begin to look closer at occasions where misunderstood words and actions have led to wasted time, energy, life and resources just in attempts to get justice for the wrong done to us. Needless to say again that people who forgive are happier and healthier than those who hold resentments.

Forgiveness offers the possibility of two types of peace: peace of mind — the potential healing of old emotional wounds, and peace with others — the possibility of new, more gratifying relationships in the future.

We must learn to pardon or excuse offence. To  borrow the words of Jana, “Just as a convict sentenced to die for his crimes would be overcome with joy and relief when granted a last minute pardon, we too must/need to have the largeness of spirit and character to offer forgiveness”.

We must recognise that forgiveness does not make one better than the offender, rather, it demonstrates the wisdom of the forgiver in dealing with the issue. 
To forgive is to offer opportunity for a new beginning to the offender, and provide a process of healing for the victim. We must remind ourselves that we too might be guilty of such offence some day and as we expect to be forgiven so also, others deserve our second chance.

The solution is the same for each question and forgiveness is the answer to it all, as we mark Global Forgiveness Day ahead, let this be our emblem!