--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting…" description: "\"“Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting. Forgiveness is you not letting your hate and anger rule your life. Because it will, whether you realize it or not. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/james-russell-lingerfelt-34436_forgiveness_forgiving-doesn-t-mean-forgetting-forgiv_942862.jpg" --- # Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting. Forgiveness is you not… ![“Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting. Forgiveness is you not letting your hate and anger rule your life. Because it will, whether you realize it or not. When you free the offender, you’re freeing yourself. Your forgiveness or lack of forgiveness has no effect on them. It’s your journey. It’s your…” quote by James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/james-russell-lingerfelt-34436_forgiveness_forgiving-doesn-t-mean-forgetting-forgiv_942862.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/james-russell-lingerfelt-34436_forgiveness_forgiving-doesn-t-mean-forgetting-forgiv_942862.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/james-russell-lingerfelt-34436_forgiveness_forgiving-doesn-t-mean-forgetting-forgiv_942862.jpg) > ““Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting. Forgiveness is you not letting your hate and anger rule your life. Because it will, whether you realize it or not. When you free the offender, you’re freeing yourself. Your forgiveness or lack of forgiveness has no effect on them. It’s your journey. It’s your struggle.”” [James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lingerfelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiving frees you from being controlled by resentment, allowing personal peace regardless of the offender’s response. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness frees you from hate. Key Takeaway Release hate, choose peace. Themes forgiveness personal growth emotional health Mood reflective determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - relationship conflict - personal trauma - self‑help - mental health - spiritual practice Key Concepts resilience self‑compassion psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does holding onto anger affect your daily life? - What steps can you take to practice forgiveness daily? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may not change the offender’s behavior and can be emotionally taxing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Freeing Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freeing-yourself/) [Hate And Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-and-anger/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Romance love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance-love/) [Romance-novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance-novels/) [Romance-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance-quotes/) ## Related quotes > [“Sometimes forgiveness is a tough thing to muster up. And forgetting? Well, you have to find the forgiveness first. Hopefully the forgetting will come...with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-west-from-hot-coco/sometimes-forgiveness-is-a-tough-thing-to-muster-up-and-forgetting/) Mike West from Hot Coco > [Lack of forgiveness of others breeds lack of self-forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/lack-of-forgiveness-of-others-breeds-lack-of-self-forgiveness/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [Everything you go through can be a lesson for you. Lack of forgiveness can manifest itself in different ways -in some lives it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-wells/everything-you-go-through-can-be-a-lesson-for-you-lack-of-forgiveness/) Thelma Wells > [Lack of forgiveness causes almost all of our self-sabotaging behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/lack-of-forgiveness-causes-almost-all-of-our-self-sabotaging-behavior/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [“Does our lack of forgiveness really punish them, or does it just make our hearts hard and our lives unpleasent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-levine/does-our-lack-of-forgiveness-really-punish-them-or-does-it-just-make/) [Noah Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-levine/) > [“Forgiveness is not just a selfish pursuit of personal satisfaction or righteousness. It actually alleviates the amount of suffering in the world. As each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-levine/forgiveness-is-not-just-a-selfish-pursuit-of-personal-satisfaction-or/) [Noah Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-levine/) > [A lack of forgiveness is a waste of time and it's very enriching to forgive and move on but those are things that come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/a-lack-of-forgiveness-is-a-waste-of-time-and-it-s-very-enriching-to/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [Disagreements don't cause disunity, a lack of forgiveness does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-cunningham/disagreements-don-t-cause-disunity-a-lack-of-forgiveness-does/) [Loren Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-cunningham/) > [Forgiving them doesn't mean that you agree with what they've done. It means that you're letting go of the past and moving on with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/forgiving-them-doesn-t-mean-that-you-agree-with-what-they-ve-done-it/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [My forgiving you doesn't make my heart hurt less. It takes awhile to heal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/my-forgiving-you-doesn-t-make-my-heart-hurt-less-it-takes-awhile-to/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [“Forgiving someone else doesn't give them a free pass. It gives you a free pass to move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-glassman/forgiving-someone-else-doesn-t-give-them-a-free-pass-it-gives-you-a/) [Charles F. Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-glassman/) > [Saying sorry doesn't mean there isn't guilt & forgiving doesn't mean that the pain is gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-morgan/saying-sorry-doesn-t-mean-there-isn-t-guilt-forgiving-doesn-t-mean/) [Harriet Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-morgan/) > [“Your destiny is too great to let what someone did to you keep you from moving forward. Forgiveness is not about being nice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/your-destiny-is-too-great-to-let-what-someone-did-to-you-keep-you/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Anne is very forgiving. She doesn't care about money, being rich, or clothes. We never argued about finances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stiller/anne-is-very-forgiving-she-doesn-t-care-about-money-being-rich-or/) [Jerry Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stiller/) > [“It always comes back to forgiving, doesn't it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-donovan/it-always-comes-back-to-forgiving-doesn-t-it/) [Rebecca Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-donovan/) ## More by James Russell Lingerfelt > [“Grandpa would go for strolls alone through the pastures where meadowlarks and grasshoppers flew like broken-winged birds, where rabbits constructed their havens, and where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lingerfelt/grandpa-would-go-for-strolls-alone-through-the-pastures-where/) [James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lingerfelt/) > [“It’s okay if you feel like you must leave. But as the years pass and you remember our time together and you’re at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lingerfelt/it-s-okay-if-you-feel-like-you-must-leave-but-as-the-years-pass-and/) [James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lingerfelt/) > [“I once sneered at comments like, “He fell in love,” because I was always taught that love is action. I still believe that. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lingerfelt/i-once-sneered-at-comments-like-he-fell-in-love-because-i-was-always/) [James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lingerfelt/) > [“Grandpa stopped and looked at me. I paused, too, knowing this meant he had something important to say. 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When I returned to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lingerfelt/she-shook-her-head-and-we-parted-kissing-as-the-first-beams-from-the/) [James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lingerfelt/) > [“I’ve learned that when people are hurting, they need a comforter, not a commentator.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lingerfelt/i-ve-learned-that-when-people-are-hurting-they-need-a-comforter-not-a/) [James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lingerfelt/) > [“So we went for a stroll in Alumni Park, a grassy lawn in front of Pepperdine that overlooks the coast. Deer trickle down from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lingerfelt/so-we-went-for-a-stroll-in-alumni-park-a-grassy-lawn-in-front-of/) [James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lingerfelt/) > [“I went for walks across the fields in my cozy, cotton-knit shirt, my worn out jeans, and my cowboy boots. I would stand at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lingerfelt/i-went-for-walks-across-the-fields-in-my-cozy-cotton-knit-shirt-my/) [James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lingerfelt/) > [“Eden hid her smile in my hand and leaned down and kissed me. I took her face in my hand, her velvety skin like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lingerfelt/eden-hid-her-smile-in-my-hand-and-leaned-down-and-kissed-me-i-took/) [James Russell Lingerfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lingerfelt/) > [“Yellow swallowtail butterflies, with their charcoal striped wings, were all over the wildflowers. The woodpeckers rattled away in the trees. 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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. 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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": "“Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting. Forgiveness is you not letting your hate and anger rule your life. Because it will, whether you realize it or not. When you free the offender, you’re freeing yourself. Your forgiveness or lack of forgiveness has no effect on them. It’s your journey. 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