--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many people hold onto a grudge because it…" description: "\"“Many people hold onto a grudge because it offers the illusion of power and a perverse feeling of security. But in fact, we are held hostage by our ang..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/robert-karen-101756_cybersecurity_many-people-hold-onto-a-grudge-because-i_1135888.jpg" --- # Many people hold onto a grudge because it offers the… ![“Many people hold onto a grudge because it offers the illusion of power and a perverse feeling of security. But in fact, we are held hostage by our anger. It is never too late to forgive. But you can forgive too soon. I am especially wary of what I call "saintly forgiveness." Premature forgiveness…” quote by Robert Karen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/robert-karen-101756_cybersecurity_many-people-hold-onto-a-grudge-because-i_1135888.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/robert-karen-101756_cybersecurity_many-people-hold-onto-a-grudge-because-i_1135888.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/robert-karen-101756_cybersecurity_many-people-hold-onto-a-grudge-because-i_1135888.jpg) > ““Many people hold onto a grudge because it offers the illusion of power and a perverse feeling of security. But in fact, we are held hostage by our anger. It is never too late to forgive. But you can forgive too soon. I am especially wary of what I call "saintly forgiveness." Premature forgiveness is common among people who avoid conflict. They're afraid of their own anger and the anger of others. But their forgiveness is false. Their anger goes underground. I define forgiving as letting someone back into your heart. This returns us to a loving state -- and not merely within the relationship -- we feel good about ourselves and the world. True forgiveness isn't easy, but it transforms us significantly. To forgive is to love and to feel worthy of love. In that sense, it is always worthwhile.”” Robert Karen ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Holding grudges gives false power; true forgiveness frees us, but premature forgiveness can hide anger. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness heals, but must be genuine. Key Takeaway Practice sincere forgiveness for lasting peace. Themes Forgiveness Anger Healing Love Self‑worth Mood reflective hopeful serene Type Cybersecurity:0 Forgiveness:1 Too late:0 Worthy of love:1 Premature Forgiveness:1 Anger Forgiveness:0 Forgiveness Premature:0 Forgive Soon:0 Significantly Forgive:0 When to use this quote - Therapy sessions - Mediation - Personal reflection - Community circles - Spiritual retreats Key Concepts Emotional intelligence Conflict resolution Psychological health Spiritual growth Questions to Reflect On - When is forgiveness premature? - How to ensure forgiveness is authentic? A Different Perspective Rushing forgiveness may suppress unresolved anger. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Worthy of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthy-of-love/) ## Related quotes > [“Unfortunately, premature forgiveness strands us in relationships with our parents that are as devoid of genuine warmth and intimacy as ever. Unless we work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-walker/unfortunately-premature-forgiveness-strands-us-in-relationships-with/) [Pete Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-walker/) > [“Forgiveness, she was thinking, was in some terrible, overeager way, a lack of curiosity. It was a big, powerful hose that washed everything away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hay/forgiveness-she-was-thinking-was-in-some-terrible-overeager-way-a/) [Elizabeth Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hay/) > [Anger begets more anger, and forgiveness and love lead to more forgiveness and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahavira/anger-begets-more-anger-and-forgiveness-and-love-lead-to-more/) [Mahavira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahavira/) > [“Acceptance is easier than resentment and anger. So is forgiveness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-baker/acceptance-is-easier-than-resentment-and-anger-so-is-forgiveness/) [J.A. Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-baker/) > [Forgiveness does not mean that we suppress anger; forgiveness means that we have asked for a miracle: the ability to see through mistakes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/forgiveness-does-not-mean-that-we-suppress-anger-forgiveness-means/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [You can search the entire universe and not find a single being more worthy of love than you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/you-can-search-the-entire-universe-and-not-find-a-single-being-more/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [If we want to fully experience love and belonging, we must believe that we are worthy of love and belonging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-we-want-to-fully-experience-love-and-belonging-we-must-believe/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Every one is worthy of love, except him who thinks that he is. Love is a sacrament that should be taken kneeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/every-one-is-worthy-of-love-except-him-who-thinks-that-he-is-love-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“this post-modern individualism is harmful, that we—Western society—have become lazy in our dependencies and relationships. 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If infants learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-ratner/the-most-important-educational-need-of-the-child-is-to-feel-himself/) Herbert Ratner > [Not all men are worthy of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/not-all-men-are-worthy-of-love/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Believing you are worthy of love means that you believe I deserve to be treated well - with respect and dignity. I deserve to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/believing-you-are-worthy-of-love-means-that-you-believe-i-deserve-to/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Please reach out for help, your voice will save you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-axtell/please-reach-out-for-help-your-voice-will-save-you/) Brooke Axtell > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) ## More by Robert Karen > [“Resentments - a petty one, but most resentments are. And one for its smallness I felt obliged to repress. For that matter, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-karen/resentments-a-petty-one-but-most-resentments-are-and-one-for-its/) Robert Karen Explore all 2 Robert Karen quotes ## More Cybersecurity quotes > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Our engagement through international economics, trade, these trade agreements, is vital and is linked to our national security. 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