Most of us are accustomed to familiar texts from the Bible. Few of us reflect on the wisdom contained in those texts. And one of the most familiar quotes from the Bible comes from the Lord’s Prayer.

“Forgive us our trespasses (or debts) as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

It is a prayer spoken aloud in various languages, in various denominations in Christian churches all over the world. It is a prayer that is repeated over and over again in many a lifetime.

Yet most of us fail to appreciate is the profound wisdom contained in that simple plea.

With a history of research and study in the impact of emotions on our physical health, we are now capable of realizing that the act of sincere forgiveness has a profound affect on the health of the forgiver. We now know that harboring anger or resentment toward another has a toxic influence on those who cling to their anger.

In the simplest terms, harboring those toxic feelings creates havoc on the body of the one feeling that anger. The person who is the subject of that anger may not even know of the ill will toward them, or might not even care.

The act of forgiveness releases the angry one from the burden they carry – the burden that continues to poison them.

In terms of our quest for logical connections between science and faith, we should ask ourselves, “who would have understood the connection between forgiveness and health, in those early days? Who would have been inspired to share such a subtle message?”

We may be guilty of underestimating the wisdom of ages past, but the depth of understanding contained in this simple phrase in the Lord’s Prayer is a strong indication that there was a Devine Power behind a profound concept.