What's Good for the Soul

Forgive and forget. Easier said than done, right? Well, now studies are showing forgiveness is not only good theology, but good medicine as sell. According to the latest medical and psychological research, forgiving is good for our souls&md;and our bodies. People who forgive: benefit from better immune functioning and lower blood pressure. have better mental health than people who do not forgive. feel better physically. have lower amounts of anger and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. maintain more satisfying and long-lasting relationships.

"When we allow ourselves to feel like victims or sit around dreaming up how to retaliate against people who have hurt us, these thought patterns take a toll on our minds and bodies,' says Michael McCullough, director of research for the National Institute for Healthcare Research and a co-author of To Forgive is Human: How to Put Your Past in the Past (IVP, 1997).