Millennial editor Robert Christian writes:

For those who have been willing and able to choose forgiveness, we know how freeing and radically transformative it can be. And that should tell us something. But it isn’t just for our own benefit — and it shouldn’t only be motivated by that.

Forgiveness cannot simply be about self-interest.

If forgiveness is viewed exclusively through the prism of self-help and motivated by the desire for greater individual autonomy and pleasure, it loses its true essence.

Forgiveness at its core is about living in the right relationship with others. Other people can never be incidental, mere instruments for our individual well-being. They too have hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. When we forget or ignore this — and that our flourishing is tied up in the flourishing of others — we may engage in actions that seem sensible but that are actually harmful and ultimately frustrate our deepest desires.