--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think forgiveness is absolutely…" description: "\"I think forgiveness is absolutely mandatory. When you don't forgive the only person you are hurting is yourself because you are still harboring the ang..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/john-assaraf-7221_anguish_i-think-forgiveness-is-absolutely-mandat_1637021.jpg" --- # I think forgiveness is absolutely mandatory. When you… ![“I think forgiveness is absolutely mandatory. When you don't forgive the only person you are hurting is yourself because you are still harboring the anger and the mental anguish.” quote by John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/john-assaraf-7221_anguish_i-think-forgiveness-is-absolutely-mandat_1637021.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/john-assaraf-7221_anguish_i-think-forgiveness-is-absolutely-mandat_1637021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78d/john-assaraf-7221_anguish_i-think-forgiveness-is-absolutely-mandat_1637021.jpg) > “I think forgiveness is absolutely mandatory. When you don't forgive the only person you are hurting is yourself because you are still harboring the anger and the mental anguish.” [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness frees the forgiver from ongoing anger and mental pain. **In simple terms:** Forgiving heals yourself. Key Takeaway Practice forgiveness to release personal suffering. Themes mental health personal growth relationships Mood calm hopeful Type self‑help psychological When to use this quote - conflict resolution - self‑care routines - family disputes Key Concepts resentment emotional release Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from forgiving? - How might forgiveness improve your wellbeing? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be difficult without genuine remorse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anguish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anguish/) [Don Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-forgive-358021/) [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-person-355415/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiveness Absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness-absolutely-534975/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Think Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-forgiveness-534974/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think forgiveness is a release of emotions, a release to say "No I let go". I think it is critical for our mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/i-think-forgiveness-is-a-release-of-emotions-a-release-to-say-no-i/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [The most important thing about being a father is being able to forgive yourself. If you don't forgive yourself, you're not going to forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/the-most-important-thing-about-being-a-father-is-being-able-to/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) > [I have discovered that most people who tell me that they cannot forgive a person who wronged them are handicapped by a mistaken understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/i-have-discovered-that-most-people-who-tell-me-that-they-cannot/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [A lot of times, people feel that if they forgive the person who hurt them, then they will continue to take advantage of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/a-lot-of-times-people-feel-that-if-they-forgive-the-person-who-hurt/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [When an injustice happens, we want to be vindicated. People feel that if they forgive the person who hurt them, then they will continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/when-an-injustice-happens-we-want-to-be-vindicated-people-feel-that/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Find one thing every day to forgive the other person for. Don't let them know what it is...just forgive them and let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/find-one-thing-every-day-to-forgive-the-other-person-for-don-t-let/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Elle: "You really think there's no forgiveness in what happened?" Nico: "Forgiveness from who, Elle?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vi-keeland/elle-you-really-think-there-s-no-forgiveness-in-what-happened-nico/) [Vi Keeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vi-keeland/) > [I think forgiveness plays a very important part in Western society and it comes from the Judeo Christian heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-warraq/i-think-forgiveness-plays-a-very-important-part-in-western-society/) [Ibn Warraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-warraq/) > [“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-miller/) > [Every time I open Facebook, I see a post with something like, "We must forgive or be prisoners of our own bitterness and hate."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/every-time-i-open-facebook-i-see-a-post-with-something-like-we-must/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [ I think \[forgiveness\] may be the greatest virtue on earth, and certainly the most needed. There is so much of meanness and abuse, of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/i-think-forgiveness-may-be-the-greatest-virtue-on-earth-and-certainly/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [“He knew exactly how to hit a woman, so that the marks hardly showed. He knew how to kiss her, too, so that her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/he-knew-exactly-how-to-hit-a-woman-so-that-the-marks-hardly-showed-he/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I think forgiveness is probably one of the greatest forms of self-love there is because you don't do forgiveness for anybody else. My captors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-smart/i-think-forgiveness-is-probably-one-of-the-greatest-forms-of-self/) [Elizabeth Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-smart/) > [I think forgiveness is overrated, personally, because some things people do are unforgivable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/i-think-forgiveness-is-overrated-personally-because-some-things/) [Charlamagne tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [I have truly moved beyond my victimization. I do not think of myself as a victim. I don't think of myself as a survivor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-davis/i-have-truly-moved-beyond-my-victimization-i-do-not-think-of-myself/) [Stephanie Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-davis/) ## More by John Assaraf > [I think that if we look at what created us, the divine intelligence that created every one of us all He can see is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/i-think-that-if-we-look-at-what-created-us-the-divine-intelligence/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [I think forgiveness is a release of emotions, a release to say "No I let go". I think it is critical for our mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/i-think-forgiveness-is-a-release-of-emotions-a-release-to-say-no-i/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [I am a genius, I am brilliant, I am outstanding and I can achieve whatever I choose to achieve with a ... given by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/i-am-a-genius-i-am-brilliant-i-am-outstanding-and-i-can-achieve/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [One of the lowest points in my life was when I was diagnosed and combated with severe ulcerative colitis which is severe ulcers in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/one-of-the-lowest-points-in-my-life-was-when-i-was-diagnosed-and/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [I was putting too much stress on my body and not living a healthy life style, I wasn't taking care of myself. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/i-was-putting-too-much-stress-on-my-body-and-not-living-a-healthy/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [If you want to earn a million bucks a year, eliminate mediocrity from your thinking and your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/if-you-want-to-earn-a-million-bucks-a-year-eliminate-mediocrity-from/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [Do more of what you love, less of what you tolerate and none of what you hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/do-more-of-what-you-love-less-of-what-you-tolerate-and-none-of-what/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [Some things aren't to my taste and I wish they wouldn't have happened but they have been some of the best experiences to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/some-things-aren-t-to-my-taste-and-i-wish-they-wouldn-t-have-happened/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [I don't care whether you are me or Michael Jordan, it makes no difference we are all going to feel that way but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/i-don-t-care-whether-you-are-me-or-michael-jordan-it-makes-no/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [You can choose right now to change the way you are experiencing a windstorm. Adjust your sails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/you-can-choose-right-now-to-change-the-way-you-are-experiencing-a/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [To having no self esteem to feeling wonderful about yourself doing what you love to do and making the money that you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/to-having-no-self-esteem-to-feeling-wonderful-about-yourself-doing/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [You become what you think about the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/you-become-what-you-think-about-the-most/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [I think heroes are important in the lives of kids because it shows a child what to become, it shows a child what's possible;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/i-think-heroes-are-important-in-the-lives-of-kids-because-it-shows-a/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [I drive a lot of joy from being able to help others and helping put them on the path that they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/i-drive-a-lot-of-joy-from-being-able-to-help-others-and-helping-put/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [The most important part of living life on your own terms and having it all is having faith and belief in yourself and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/the-most-important-part-of-living-life-on-your-own-terms-and-having/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) [Explore all 93 John Assaraf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) ## More Anguish quotes > [“He put his forehead against hers. “Alannah, my heart is yours.” He said softly. “And yet, I must hand it over to someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-morin/he-put-his-forehead-against-hers-alannah-my-heart-is-yours-he-said/) [B.C. Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-morin/) > [Knowledge gives a wider choice and more anguish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-florman/knowledge-gives-a-wider-choice-and-more-anguish/) [Samuel Florman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-florman/) > [pg.9 "In my heart there's a peaceful anguish, and my calm is made of resignation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/pg-9-in-my-heart-there-s-a-peaceful-anguish-and-my-calm-is-made-of/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Memory, with its fugitive adjustments, is the merciful veil to the grim enactments of the first law. It hides the anguish in the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-aumonier/memory-with-its-fugitive-adjustments-is-the-merciful-veil-to-the-grim/) [Stacy Aumonier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-aumonier/) > [Our religion is itself profoundly sad - a religion of universal anguish, and one which, because of its very catholicity, grants full liberty to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/our-religion-is-itself-profoundly-sad-a-religion-of-universal-anguish/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/being-human-we-would-expel-from-our-lives-physical-pain-and-mental/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [The intellectuals' chief cause of anguish are one another's works. Jacques Barzun, 1959 all ignorance toboggans into know and trudges up to ignorance again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/the-intellectuals-chief-cause-of-anguish-are-one-another-s-works/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [I saw my parents as gods whose every wish must be obeyed or I would suffer the penalty of anguish and guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-wood/i-saw-my-parents-as-gods-whose-every-wish-must-be-obeyed-or-i-would/) [Natalie Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-wood/) > [Every last cast is actually a first cast. The first cast and first chance to catch the next fish. The next time you anguish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/every-last-cast-is-actually-a-first-cast-the-first-cast-and-first/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Journalism is an extraordinary and terrible privilege. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-have-discovered-in-my-long-life-that-there-are-many-words-and/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [One realizes that human relationships are the tragic necessity of human life; that they can never be wholly satisfactory, that every ego is half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/one-realizes-that-human-relationships-are-the-tragic-necessity-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [I have designed my style pantomimes as white ink drawings on black backgrounds, so that man's destiny appears as a thread lost in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-marceau/i-have-designed-my-style-pantomimes-as-white-ink-drawings-on-black/) [Marcel Marceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-marceau/) > [So silently, peacefully, without hurry, without any tension, without any anguish, move into yourself instantly. It is urgent. Unless meditation becomes urgent to you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/so-silently-peacefully-without-hurry-without-any-tension-without-any/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [It breaks my heart to think about a family weeping over the loss of a loved one. I understand the anguish that some feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/it-breaks-my-heart-to-think-about-a-family-weeping-over-the-loss-of-a/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) [Browse all 570 Anguish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anguish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think forgiveness is absolutely mandatory. 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