--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Holding unforgiveness in my heart and…" description: "\"“Holding unforgiveness in my heart and expecting it to hurt my abusers was the equivalent of drinking poison myself and expecting it to kill the other ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e15/perry-noble-27768_drinking-poison_holding-unforgiveness-in-my-heart-and-ex_26743.png" --- # Holding unforgiveness in my heart and expecting it to hurt… ![“Holding unforgiveness in my heart and expecting it to hurt my abusers was the equivalent of drinking poison myself and expecting it to kill the other guy. I thought I was punishing them, but in reality I wasn’t doing any damage to them—I was only doing damage to my own soul and to my walk with…” quote by Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e15/perry-noble-27768_drinking-poison_holding-unforgiveness-in-my-heart-and-ex_26743.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e15/perry-noble-27768_drinking-poison_holding-unforgiveness-in-my-heart-and-ex_26743.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e15/perry-noble-27768_drinking-poison_holding-unforgiveness-in-my-heart-and-ex_26743.png) > ““Holding unforgiveness in my heart and expecting it to hurt my abusers was the equivalent of drinking poison myself and expecting it to kill the other guy. I thought I was punishing them, but in reality I wasn’t doing any damage to them—I was only doing damage to my own soul and to my walk with Jesus.”” [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Holding onto resentment harms the holder more than the target, as it poisons one's inner peace and spiritual relationship. **In simple terms:** Resentment self‑destructs. Key Takeaway Forgiveness frees the self. Themes self‑care spirituality emotional health personal responsibility inner peace Mood reflective hopeful serene Type spiritual motivational reflective When to use this quote - recovering from abuse - seeking peace after betrayal - spiritual reflection - personal healing Key Concepts forgiveness self‑damage spiritual growth Practical Applications - therapy or counseling - spiritual practice Questions to Reflect On - How does forgiveness change your inner narrative? - What practices help release lingering hurt? A Different Perspective Some argue that confronting abusers can empower victims, but this still risks perpetuating trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ## Related quotes > [“Forgiveness also frees you from the unbearable weight of holding on to an offense. It has been said that holding on to unforgiveness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voddie-baucham-jr/forgiveness-also-frees-you-from-the-unbearable-weight-of-holding-on/) [Voddie Baucham Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voddie-baucham-jr/) > [Vengeance is not the point; change is. But the trouble is that in most people's minds the thought of victory and the thought of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-deming/vengeance-is-not-the-point-change-is-but-the-trouble-is-that-in-most/) [Barbara Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-deming/) > [“Forgiveness removes all the ugliness of unforgiveness you’re your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/forgiveness-removes-all-the-ugliness-of-unforgiveness-you-re-your/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [“No one who beats his wife or children, spreads slander in a congregation, or harbors perpetual unforgiveness in his or her heart is full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-s-keener/no-one-who-beats-his-wife-or-children-spreads-slander-in-a/) [Craig S. Keener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-s-keener/) > [Hating someone is like drinking poison and saying someone else will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hating-someone-is-like-drinking-poison-and-saying-someone-else-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Harboring hate and anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/harboring-hate-and-anger-is-like-drinking-poison-and-expecting-the/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [Anger is like drinking poison & expecting the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anger-is-like-drinking-poison-expecting-the-other-person-to-die/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/resentment-is-like-drinking-poison-and-waiting-for-the-other-person/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [“Her gaze turned distant. 'Have you ever heard of the arsenic eaters?' Alex blinked, confused. 'No?' 'They would ingest a little bit of arsenic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/her-gaze-turned-distant-have-you-ever-heard-of-the-arsenic-eaters/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“What’s the saying? Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-genova/what-s-the-saying-not-forgiving-someone-is-like-drinking-poison-and/) [Lisa Genova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-genova/) > [Too often, we carry around things from our past that hurt us, holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/too-often-we-carry-around-things-from-our-past-that-hurt-us-holding/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [“Withholding love is a bit like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/withholding-love-is-a-bit-like-drinking-poison-and-expecting-the/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [Holding onto anger is like drinking a poison and expecting the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/holding-onto-anger-is-like-drinking-a-poison-and-expecting-the-other/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Unforgiveness is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/unforgiveness-is-like-drinking-poison-yourself-and-waiting-for-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Living life without forgiveness is like drinking poison, and waiting for the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/living-life-without-forgiveness-is-like-drinking-poison-and-waiting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Perry Noble > [Every once in a while I have this thought, we've got to piss off the religious people. How are we going to do that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/every-once-in-a-while-i-have-this-thought-we-ve-got-to-piss-off-the/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [If you don't let your past die, then it won't let you live. Period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/if-you-don-t-let-your-past-die-then-it-won-t-let-you-live-period/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [I don't think that God raised up Internet bloggers to call out wolves - who have an opinion and a website.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/i-don-t-think-that-god-raised-up-internet-bloggers-to-call-out-wolves/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [Worship does not become worship until it changes the way we live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/worship-does-not-become-worship-until-it-changes-the-way-we-live/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [It’s ok to not be ok, but it’s not ok to stay that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/it-s-ok-to-not-be-ok-but-it-s-not-ok-to-stay-that-way/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [If you're not dead, God's not done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/if-you-re-not-dead-god-s-not-done/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [God has called each one of us to embrace life, not merely to endure it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/god-has-called-each-one-of-us-to-embrace-life-not-merely-to-endure-it/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [Leading with integrity is embracing honesty! We should always use our weaknesses to point others to Christ's strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/leading-with-integrity-is-embracing-honesty-we-should-always-use-our/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [Every number has a name! Every name has a story! Every story matters to God!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/every-number-has-a-name-every-name-has-a-story-every-story-matters-to/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [The ISIS situation is not just “their problem to deal with in the Middle East,” it’s OUR PROBLEM because it involves people Jesus died…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/the-isis-situation-is-not-just-their-problem-to-deal-with-in-the/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [I wasn't a bad person who needed to become good...I was DEAD and needed to be brought to life! (Ephesians 2:1-10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/i-wasn-t-a-bad-person-who-needed-to-become-good-i-was-dead-and-needed/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [Procrastination is assassination on the amazing future God has for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/procrastination-is-assassination-on-the-amazing-future-god-has-for-you/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [Here’s the dangerous thing about Jesus: He’s not after your behaviour; he’s after your heart. Make no mistake about it. Jesus is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/here-s-the-dangerous-thing-about-jesus-he-s-not-after-your-behaviour/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [“The reality is that God is greater than whatever “goose” is chasing you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/the-reality-is-that-god-is-greater-than-whatever-goose-is-chasing-you/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) > [When a team feels like a family, they will go all out to love and serve one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-noble/when-a-team-feels-like-a-family-they-will-go-all-out-to-love-and/) [Perry Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) [Explore all 20 Perry Noble quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-noble/) ## More Drinking poison quotes > [Living life without forgiveness is like drinking poison, and waiting for the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/living-life-without-forgiveness-is-like-drinking-poison-and-waiting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Unforgiveness is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/unforgiveness-is-like-drinking-poison-yourself-and-waiting-for-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Holding onto anger is like drinking a poison and expecting the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/holding-onto-anger-is-like-drinking-a-poison-and-expecting-the-other/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Withholding love is a bit like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/withholding-love-is-a-bit-like-drinking-poison-and-expecting-the/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [Too often, we carry around things from our past that hurt us, holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/too-often-we-carry-around-things-from-our-past-that-hurt-us-holding/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [“What’s the saying? Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-genova/what-s-the-saying-not-forgiving-someone-is-like-drinking-poison-and/) [Lisa Genova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-genova/) > [“Her gaze turned distant. 'Have you ever heard of the arsenic eaters?' Alex blinked, confused. 'No?' 'They would ingest a little bit of arsenic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/her-gaze-turned-distant-have-you-ever-heard-of-the-arsenic-eaters/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/resentment-is-like-drinking-poison-and-waiting-for-the-other-person/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [Anger is like drinking poison & expecting the other person to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anger-is-like-drinking-poison-expecting-the-other-person-to-die/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Harboring hate and anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/harboring-hate-and-anger-is-like-drinking-poison-and-expecting-the/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [Hating someone is like drinking poison and saying someone else will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hating-someone-is-like-drinking-poison-and-saying-someone-else-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Having resentment against someone is like drinking poison and thinking it will kill your enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/having-resentment-against-someone-is-like-drinking-poison-and/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Holding on to resentments is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hatvany/holding-on-to-resentments-is-like-drinking-poison-and-hoping-the/) [Amy Hatvany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hatvany/) > [The one conclusive argument that has at all times discouraged people from drinking a poison is not that it kills but rather that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-one-conclusive-argument-that-has-at-all-times-discouraged-people/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-weaver/bitterness-is-like-drinking-poison-and-waiting-for-the-other-person/) [Joanna Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-weaver/) Browse all 51 Drinking poison quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Holding unforgiveness in my heart and expecting it to hurt my abusers was the equivalent of drinking poison myself and expecting it to kill the other guy. 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