Bitterness Quote by Lewis B. Smedes
“Once we have forgiven, however, we get a new freedom to forget. This time forgetting is a sign of health; it is not a trick to avoid spiritual surgery. We can forget because we have been healed. But even if it is easier to forget after we forgive, we should not make forgetting a test of our forgiving. The test of forgiving lies with healing the lingering pain of the past, not with forgetting the past has ever happened.”
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Gift of Forgiveness” by Lewis B. Smedes, 1996
True forgiveness leads to healing, not merely forgetting; forgetting is a healthy byproduct, not the goal of forgiveness.
In simple terms: Forgiveness heals; forgetting follows naturally but isn’t the test.
Key Takeaway
Focus on healing pain rather than erasing memory.
Themes
forgiveness
healing
memory
spiritual health
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
spiritual
philosophical
When to use this quote
- conflict resolution
- personal trauma
- relationship repair
Key Concepts
psychology
spirituality
emotional processing
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate forgiveness from forgetting?
- What practices aid genuine healing?
A Different Perspective
Healing may be slow and incomplete despite forgiveness.
