The Science of Forgiveness
Episode description
Forgiveness isn’t just a church thing. It’s not just a faith thing. It’s a science thing. In this episode, Ryan Leak unpacks the astounding research from both Eastern and Western medicine on how unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment impact your physical, emotional, and mental health. From impaired liver function in Chinese medicine to reduced risk of heart disease in Western studies, the evidence is clear: your body keeps the score of what your soul is carrying.
Here are a few of the studies mentioned:
World Journal of Gastroenterology on liver function and chronic anger: link
Johns Hopkins Medicine on the health benefits of forgiveness: link
Journal of Behavioral Medicine study on forgiveness and mental health: link
Mayo Clinic on forgiveness and stress relief: link
But science can only take you so far. If you’re wondering how to actually forgive, Ryan points to the model and the power found in Jesus Christ. If you’d like to take the next steps in your faith journey or receive prayer, text “Jesus” to 469-809-1201, and Ryan’s team would love to connect with you.
And if you want to dive even deeper into this topic, check out Ryan’s full message on forgiveness here: Watch on YouTube