Forgiveness and reconciliation are difficult paths to travel in life, because they involve leaving behind the pain that someone or something made us experience, so it is a complicated process to process. However, forgiving is very liberating. It means letting go of the past and bitter moments to move forward in search of new experiences. Of course, the time to heal wounds is very variable, since it depends on each person’s intentions and willingness to forgive.
If you are looking for thoughts or quotes that will help you express your feelings, in this Psychology-Online article, we have selected the best phrases about forgiveness and reconciliation. Keep in mind that asking for forgiveness is an act of humility and empathy, and can be the first step to healing wounds and strengthening relationships.
Short phrases about forgiveness
Forgiveness and reconciliation are two concepts that often go hand in hand. Forgiveness is give up resentment or the desire for revenge towards someone who has hurt us, while reconciling is reestablishing the broken or deteriorated relationship with that person. Find some short phrases about forgiveness that will help you express what you carry inside:
- Humor is the basis of reconciliation. Saint Francis de Sales.
- It is easier to forgive an enemy than a friend. William Blake.
- Forgiveness is when you can say: Thank you for that experience. Oprah Winfrey.
- Envy is more incapable of reconciliation than hatred. François de La Rochefoucauld.
- Reconciliation brings spring to our soul. Brother Roger.
- Being wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it. .
- One of the keys to happiness is bad memory. Rita Mae Brown.
- Forgiveness is a funny thing. She warms the heart and cools the sting. William Ward.
- To err is human, to forgive is divine. Alexander Pope.
- Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge. Isaac Friedmann.
- Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names. John F. Kennedy.
- If the world apologized, I might consider a reconciliation. Mason Cooley.
- Union makes strength and discord weakens. Aesop.
- There is hope for every man to return to his Maker. Lailah Gifty Akita.
- The most disadvantageous peace is better than the most just war. Erasmus of Rotterdam.
- Man grows when he kneels. Alessandro Manzoni.
- Relative peace is better than a won war. Maria Theresa I of Austria.
- Always forgive others, never yourself. Publius Syrus.
- If your pride is not moderated, it will be your greatest punishment. .
- Forgiveness is only possible on the basis of knowledge of reality. Simon Wiesenthal.
- If the world apologized, I might consider a reconciliation. Mason Cooley.
- Many moments lived, too many to let go. Anonymous.
- Forgiveness does not change the past, but it expands the future. Paul Boese.
- An apology is a good way to have the last word. Anonymous.
Phrases to apologize to a friend
Saying sorry to a friend can be difficult, but it’s important to do so if you’ve done something that hurt them. In this life we all make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes hurt the people we care about most. For that reason, if you have hurt a loved one and want to earn their forgivenessthese phrases to ask for forgiveness from a friend will help you a lot:
- I regret my actions and wish we could reconcile. Anonymous.
- Reconciliation is more beautiful than victory. Violeta Chamorro.
- Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace. Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
- I am willing to learn from my mistakes and improve as a person. Anonymous.
- It’s not an easy journey, getting to a place where you forgive people. But it’s such a powerful place, because it frees you. Tyler Perry.
- Stupid people neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; The wise forgive, but they do not forget. Thomas Szasz.
- Reconciliation is the fastest way to change your life. Mark Hart.
- I have always found that mercy bears richer fruit than strict justice. .
- Forgiving is not forgetting, it is not justifying, it is not minimizing or reconciling. Forgiving is a personal process without expecting anything from the other. Bernardo Stamatcas.
- People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered. Love them anyway. Kent M. Keith.
- Sometimes I make mistakes, but I value our friendship. Can we put this behind us? Anonymous.
- Certain memories are like common friends, they know how to make reconciliations. Marcel Proust.
- There’s nothing wrong with apologizing, but saying sorry doesn’t help if you keep making the same mistakes. Anonymous.
- A minute of reconciliation has more merit than a lifetime of friendship. .
- I want to apologize for any harm I have caused. Anonymous.
- A simple apology could fix a friendship that shouldn’t have ended in the first place. Don’t let your ego stop you from doing the right thing. Anonymous.
- Celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation means being wrapped in a warm embrace. .
- It is much easier to reconcile with an enemy than to conquer him; Victory may deprive you of his poison, but reconciliation will deprive you of his will. Owen Feltham.
- Certain memories are like common friends, they know how to make reconciliations. Marcel Proust.
- Sometimes saying “I’m sorry” is necessary. So, excuse me. Can we be friends again? Anonymous.
- Now that I know what my mistakes were, I promise not to make them again. Anonymous.
- If we cannot put an end to our differences, let us help make the world a place fit for them. John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
- A reconciliation will bring us peace or return us to a new war. Anonymous.
- It’s strange to see how a good dinner and celebrations bring peace to anyone. Samuel Pepys.
- Reconciliations are difficult because we are humble enough to forgive but too proud to be forgiven. Anonymous.
- Saying sorry to someone is difficult… but lowering someone’s pride is the most difficult. Cristina Orante.
- Forgiveness is surgery for your heart that can save your life… and the lives of others. Anonymous.
Phrases about forgiveness and love
Forgiveness and love are two concepts that go hand in hand. When we love someone, we are willing to forgive their mistakes and ask forgiveness for our own. However, sometimes forgiveness is not easy to give or receive. One way to get closer is express our regret and our desire for reconciliation with sincere and emotional phrases. In this section, we present some phrases about forgiveness and love that can help you ask for forgiveness from your ex or your partner:
- My heart is trapped in regret and needs your forgiveness to set it free. I love you. Anonymous.
- Forgiveness is obligatory; reconciliation is optional. Lysa Terkeurst.
- I recognize that I was wrong and I am willing to correct it. Anonymous.
- Many tears fell from your eyes because of the way I hurt you. Today I promise to turn all the fallen tears into a precious pearl. I’m sorry. Anonymous.
- Life is too short. I forgive and forget. I don’t have time to get angry or hate. Debasish Mridha.
- True love has a wonderful habit of coming back. Anonymous.
- I ask for your understanding and patience as we work to overcome this obstacle. Anonymous.
- I value our relationship and hope that you and I can get through this together. Anonymous.
- Love in the real world means saying you’re sorry 10 times a day. Kathie Lee Gifford.
- A “sorry” doesn’t prove anything unless you mean it. Anonymous.
- And although I have not always understood my faults and my failures, on the other hand I know that in your arms the world makes sense. .
- Love sees forgiveness as a strength, and works to eliminate resentment. Anonymous.
- There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love. Bryant H. McGill.
- You said you never wanted to see me hurt. Did you close your eyes when I cried? Anonymous.
- History writes the word ‘Reconciliation’ over all its disputes.” Jan Smuts.
- I am willing to do whatever is necessary to show you my repentance. Anonymous.
- Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. .
- I ask your forgiveness, even knowing that you will not grant it. I apologize, in the only way I know how. Give me life back. .
- If it’s hard to break up, maybe it’s harder to reconcile. Isabel Gómez Bassols.
- If bitterness dwells in your heart for a long time, there will be no possible reconciliation. Anonymous.
- Are fleets and armies necessary for a work of love and reconciliation? Patrick Henry.
- The worst reconciliation is better than the best divorce. .
- I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine. .
- Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. Corrie Ten Boom.
- Reconciliation is the rope to which I always hold myself so as not to lose you. Anonymous.
- Always forgive your enemies, nothing bothers them so much. .
- Before we can forgive each other, we have to understand each other. Emma Goldman.
- Androgyny suggests a spirit of reconciliation between the sexes. Carolyn Heilbrun.
- Do you call that love? Momentary smiles, rehearsed apologies, kisses of consolation and reconciliation sex. Charles Melier.
- Inscribe the offenses in the dust, inscribe the words of good in the marble. .
- I am deeply sorry for any pain I have caused and ask for your forgiveness. Anonymous.
- Being a Christian means forgiving the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. .
- Watch my soul when I return to you, old invisible scars of my love for you remained. Anonymous.
- Warm moments of kindness and reconciliation are worth having, even if separation has to come sooner or later. Alice Munro.
- Never try to dominate someone who asks you for forgiveness for their mistake because, understand, you are more important than their ego. Anonymous.
- I recognize that I was not up to par and I wish we could start again. Anonymous.
Phrases about forgiveness and repentance
Making certain mistakes is part of life, and sometimes we (unintentionally) hurt the people we love the most. Asking for forgiveness is not easy, but It is necessary to heal wounds and regain confidence. Now, you will see some phrases of forgiveness and repentance that you can use to express your feelings and ask for a second chance:
- Pride and ego make fun of an apology. Humility accepts forgiveness without question… so decide for yourself! T.F. Hodge.
- In history, the moments when reason and reconciliation prevail are short and fleeting. Stefan Zweig.
- Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them. .
- Anger makes you small, while forgiveness forces you to grow larger than you are. Cherie Carter-Scott.
- The pattern of the prodigal son is: rebellion, ruin, repentance, forgiveness, restoration. Edwin Louis Cole.
- Religion should be a source of reconciliation, forgiveness, tolerance and empathy. Charles Kimball.
- I can forgive, but I can’t forget, it’s just another way of saying “I can’t forgive.” Henry Ward Beecher.
- Let’s not ask if we fully agree, but only if we are walking the same path. .
- The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most essential and artistic human actions. Thich Nhat Hanh.
- History writes the word…