--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Forgiveness is not for the other person…" description: "\"Forgiveness is not for the other person, forgiveness is for you.\" — Bill Ferguson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/bill-ferguson-63472_forgiveness_forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person_2858774.jpg" --- # Forgiveness is not for the other person, forgiveness is… ![“Forgiveness is not for the other person, forgiveness is for you.” quote by Bill Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/bill-ferguson-63472_forgiveness_forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person_2858774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/bill-ferguson-63472_forgiveness_forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person_2858774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/bill-ferguson-63472_forgiveness_forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person_2858774.jpg) > “Forgiveness is not for the other person, forgiveness is for you.” [Bill Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ferguson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness primarily benefits the forgiver, freeing them from resentment and emotional burden. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness heals you, not them. Key Takeaway Practice forgiveness for personal peace. Themes forgiveness self‑care emotional health growth psychology Mood calm empowering Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - conflict resolution - therapy sessions - personal development workshops - daily mindfulness Key Concepts Resentment release self‑compassion emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - What does forgiveness mean to you personally? - How can you forgive without excusing harm? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be misused to avoid accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ## Related quotes > [Bring into your mind anyone against whom you have a grievance and let it go. Send that person your forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/bring-into-your-mind-anyone-against-whom-you-have-a-grievance-and-let/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [By far the strongest poison to the human spirit is the inability to forgive oneself or another person. Forgiveness is no longer an option…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/by-far-the-strongest-poison-to-the-human-spirit-is-the-inability-to/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [Forgiveness doesn't mean that what that person did was right or that you even have to get back into a relationship with that person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/forgiveness-doesn-t-mean-that-what-that-person-did-was-right-or-that/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“Forgiveness is not mine to give,” Mrs. Saint said. “It belongs to God. And as to whether he will, she will have to wait…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-lawson-timmer/forgiveness-is-not-mine-to-give-mrs-saint-said-it-belongs-to-god-and/) [Julie Lawson Timmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-lawson-timmer/) > [Forgiveness is not about the other person or what they did. Forgiveness is for YOU and about YOU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/forgiveness-is-not-about-the-other-person-or-what-they-did/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [The first and often only person to be healed by forgiveness is the person who does the forgiveness... When we genuinely forgive, we set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/the-first-and-often-only-person-to-be-healed-by-forgiveness-is-the/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [Forgiveness is only as sincere as the person who says it. I FORGIVE YOU!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-thompson/forgiveness-is-only-as-sincere-as-the-person-who-says-it-i-forgive-you/) [Carl Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-thompson/) > [Million of my apologizes, million of her forgiveness , one person Mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-g-matias/million-of-my-apologizes-million-of-her-forgiveness-one-person-mom/) [Andrea G Matias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-g-matias/) > [“People think that forgiveness is for the person who wronged you, but it's not. Because when we allow things to bottle up inside of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-miller/people-think-that-forgiveness-is-for-the-person-who-wronged-you-but/) Vanessa Miller > [Sometimes, of all the people in the world, the one who is the hardest to forgive-as well as perhaps the one who is most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/sometimes-of-all-the-people-in-the-world-the-one-who-is-the-hardest/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [Forgiveness does not mean that we have to continue to relate to those who have done us harm. In some cases the best practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/forgiveness-does-not-mean-that-we-have-to-continue-to-relate-to-those/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Forgiveness is not to give the other person peace. Forgiveness is for you. Take that opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-phillips/forgiveness-is-not-to-give-the-other-person-peace-forgiveness-is-for/) [Mackenzie Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-phillips/) > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) Serge Kahili King > [Forgiveness is not saying, What you did to me is okay. It is saying, Im not going to let what you did to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/forgiveness-is-not-saying-what-you-did-to-me-is-okay-it-is-saying-im/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“Lord I come before you, I repent all my sins; forgive me. I repent on behalf of my children forgive them Lord. Help them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/lord-i-come-before-you-i-repent-all-my-sins-forgive-me-i-repent-on/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) ## More by Bill Ferguson > [I love Columbia, Missouri, if it wasn't for the authorities, I'd go back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ferguson/i-love-columbia-missouri-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-authorities-i-d-go-back/) [Bill Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ferguson/) > [If you want to have love, you have to open your heart and give love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ferguson/if-you-want-to-have-love-you-have-to-open-your-heart-and-give-love/) [Bill Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ferguson/) > [Forgiveness is the key to happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ferguson/forgiveness-is-the-key-to-happiness/) [Bill Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ferguson/) > [Any characteristic that you can't stand in another person is an aspect of you that you can't stand in yourself. Once you discover that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ferguson/any-characteristic-that-you-can-t-stand-in-another-person-is-an/) [Bill Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ferguson/) [Explore all 5 Bill Ferguson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ferguson/) ## More Forgiveness quotes > [“Lord I come before you, I repent all my sins; forgive me. I repent on behalf of my children forgive them Lord. Help them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/lord-i-come-before-you-i-repent-all-my-sins-forgive-me-i-repent-on/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [Forgiveness is not saying, What you did to me is okay. It is saying, Im not going to let what you did to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/forgiveness-is-not-saying-what-you-did-to-me-is-okay-it-is-saying-im/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) Serge Kahili King > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [A Real Boyfriend does the sweetest things randomly because he never wants her to feel unappreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/a-real-boyfriend-does-the-sweetest-things-randomly-because-he-never/) Enhance Dreams > [“(Evil people) do not believe in forgiveness. Their transgressions are either punished or not punished. That is the only result that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/evil-people-do-not-believe-in-forgiveness-their-transgressions-are/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [Friendship means understanding, not argument. it means forgiveness, not forgetting. it means the memories last, even if contact is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sokhom/friendship-means-understanding-not-argument-it-means-forgiveness-not/) [Sokhom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sokhom/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“Have an open mind and heart. Learn to journey in understanding and forgiveness. It's not always going to be easy but it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elle/have-an-open-mind-and-heart-learn-to-journey-in-understanding-and/) [Alexandra Elle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elle/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) [Browse all 8,311 Forgiveness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Forgiveness is not for the other person, forgiveness is for you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Ferguson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ferguson/forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person-forgiveness-is-for-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forgiveness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ferguson/forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person-forgiveness-is-for-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/bill-ferguson-63472_forgiveness_forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person_2858774.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/bill-ferguson-63472_forgiveness_forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person_2858774.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/bill-ferguson-63472_forgiveness_forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person_2858774.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Forgiveness is not for the other person, forgiveness is for you.” — Bill Ferguson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bill Ferguson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ferguson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Forgiveness is not for the other...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ferguson/forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person-forgiveness-is-for-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ferguson/forgiveness-is-not-for-the-other-person-forgiveness-is-for-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```