What Does Forgiveness Have to Do With Depression?

How can forgiving help?

Forgiving is vital

Forgiveness is vital to overcoming depression, according to a number of researchers and authors.

“What is the real spiritual connection between depression and forgiveness?” asks author Steve Marshall. “Is there a causal connection? Can depression be alleviated from a ‘heartfelt connectingly’ deep forgiveness of myself and of others made by myself?”

Yes, say researchers Michael J. Subkoviak, Robert D. Enright, Ching-Ru Wu, Elizabeth A. Gassin, Suzanne Freedman, Leanne M. Olson and Issidoros Sarinopoulos writing in the Journal of Adolescence. They observed 197 midwestern U.S. college students and 197 of their parents. They discovered that the college students were less forgiving.

They also had more anxiety than their parents.

The difference? Their parents had learned to forgive.

The loving option

Get past your pain

“Forgiveness always helps because to forgive is to embrace the loving option,” writes Marshall. “Love heals depression by allowing it's healing ‘of the opening up of yourself to yourself and of the opening up of yourself to others’ to take place. Depression is a sign of your closing down to yourself and to life. The way to allow growth through and past your depression is to start forgiving.”

“The word ‘forgive’ occurs 81 times in the whole of the Bible,” notes Robin Sam, editor of India’s Christian Messenger website. “‘Forgiveness’ occurs 124 times, while the word ‘forgiving’ occurs 11 times, ‘forgiven’ occurs 61 times and ‘forgave’ occurs 13 times. Together, they make about 290 verses on the topic of forgiveness in the Bible.

What did Jesus say?

Don’t keep count!

“Why is forgiveness so important in the sight of God? What is so amazing about forgiving someone that Jesus implied that one ought not keep count of a brother’s sins?

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone,” advises Sam, paraphrasing Matthew 18:15. “If he listens to you, you have gained a brother.

“The suggestion is to handle someone who breaches your tranquility. Now, look at verses 19. ‘Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.’"

Who are these two that Jesus talks about here? It is you and the dissenting brother.

What about God?

What does the Bible say?

“Forgiving someone can be difficult,” agrees Josh Wiley. “Most of us need encouragement to offer up forgiveness to others that have hurt us.”

So, he offers these Bible promises:

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15 New International Version).

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” (Matthew 18: 21-22 NIV)

“If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24 NIV).

“If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says , ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4 NIV).