All genuine spiritual paths contain teachings on forgiveness. Learning to forgive is the gift that keeps on giving, not only for the one needing forgiveness, but for the forgiver as well. However, I do feel that some of traditional Christianity’s emphasis on forgiving can cause more harm than good by not emphasizing that forgiveness is a process. It can take time. True forgiveness is a process and this is crucial to remember. Without this emphasis, individuals will experience feelings of guilt and shame. They may even come to believe that something is wrong with them. This is exactly what we don’t want to do. I want to take the time this morning to talk about something that I call “toxic forgiveness.”