Forgivng is a Beautiful Thing

Every day we are faced with the challenge of forgiving those around us.  Throughout the day small incidental things occur and we forgive without even thinking about it, and sometimes we have real hurtful things that happen to us, and we have to dig deep to  forgive.

Forgiving others can be challenging thing to do sometimes.  In the New Testament, Matt. 18:21-22 it reads:  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Jesus isn’t really giving us a number on how many times we should forgive someone, but he his telling us that we must always forgive, because he has forgiven everyone that asked for forgiveness.

In Doctrine and Covenants 64:9-10 it reads:

 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.

 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.

Pres. Uchtdorf in April 2012 conference said “Forgiving ourselves and others is not easy. In fact, for most of us it requires a major change in our attitude and way of thinking—even a change of heart. But there is good news. This “mighty change” of heart is exactly what the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring into our lives. How is it done? Through the love of God.

When our hearts are filled with the love of God, something good and pure happens to us. We “keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.”

The more we allow the love of God to govern our minds and emotions—the more we allow our love for our Heavenly Father to swell within our hearts—the easier it is to love others with the pure love of Christ. As we open our hearts to the glowing dawn of the love of God, the darkness and cold of animosity and envy will eventually fade.

As always, Christ is our exemplar. In His teachings as in His life, He showed us the way. He forgave the wicked, the vulgar, and those who sought to hurt and to do Him harm.

Jesus said it is easy to love those who love us; even the wicked can do that. But Jesus Christ taught a higher law. His words echo through the centuries and are meant for us today. They are meant for all who desire to be His disciples. They are meant for you and me: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

When our hearts are filled with the love of God, we become “kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving [each other], even as God for Christ’s sake [forgave us].”  end quote.

I have had my own opportunities to learn to forgive, when I was in my teens I was molested.  I have had to learn to forgive this person for the hurt that he had caused me.  And has I have forgiven this person the pain has gone away.  It’s been almost 20 years and I hardly think of it.

I have many more examples of forgiving other, but this one incident affected my life in many ways.

I am grateful for my Savior and His infinite atonement that can allow me to forgive others and at the same time heal my pain.

You probably want to know how I could forgive someone of an awful thing, I did as President Uchtdorf said, “This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:

Stop it!

It’s that simple. We simply have to stop judging others and replace judgmental thoughts and feelings with a heart full of love for God and His children. God is our Father. We are His children. We are all brothers and sisters. I don’t know exactly how to articulate this point of not judging others with sufficient eloquence, passion, and persuasion to make it stick. I can quote scripture, I can try to expound doctrine, and I will even quote a bumper sticker I recently saw. It was attached to the back of a car whose driver appeared to be a little rough around the edges, but the words on the sticker taught an insightful lesson. It read, “Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you.”

We must recognize that we are all imperfect—that we are beggars before God. Haven’t we all, at one time or another, meekly approached the mercy seat and pleaded for grace? Haven’t we wished with all the energy of our souls for mercy—to be forgiven for the mistakes we have made and the sins we have committed?

Because we all depend on the mercy of God, how can we deny to others any measure of the grace we so desperately desire for ourselves? My beloved brothers and sisters, should we not forgive as we wish to be forgiven?

Yes I had to do what Pres. Uchtdorf said and stop it.  I had to make the choice to stop thinking about being molested and I had to stop letting it affect my life.  I had a choice, to be unhappy or happy, I choose to be happy and forgive.

I hope that you will make the choice, choose to be happy and forgive.  It is hard but through the atonement of the Savior all things are possible.