In the Bible from the Sermon on the Mount the Lord, Jesus Christ, teaches his disciples and followers a higher law. We are given guidance and understanding to the things concerning Heaven but one of the most powerful discourses he teaches reads:"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matt 6:14-15
Sometimes daunting and unachievable comes to us as we reflect on the word forgive. Many of us have had a time or circumstance where we were hurt or offended by something that happened. If you are like me you may think that you don't need to forgive. I held on to many things in my life that happened when I was a child. I would get upset or angry when something that pertained to what happen to me came up. I didn't understand why it was happening but I felt so much emotion and frustration that I could not bare to be in the same room as those talking about this topic.
With these struggles I have come to learn that forgiveness is a commandment but so much more than that. As we forgive we release those that we have bound down to be free which in consequence frees us as well opening us up to God more than we thought. "The Merciful Obtains Mercy" was Pres. Uchtdorf's address to us from the April 2012 General Conference. President Uchtdorf spoke of this very topic, teaching and exhorting us that if we have been hurt or offended we need to forgive those trespasses and let go.
President Uchtdorf reminds us that we all need forgiveness, we are all beggars and depend upon Christ. We seek forgiveness from God everyday and pray that he would extend to us his great mercy. Should we not then extend the same mercy and forgiveness to those that have hurt or offended us? We would be as hypocrites if we did not forgive as we have asked God so sincerely to forgive us.
Peacegiver by James Ferrell speaks so eloquently on forgiving and the atonement. In his unique way he illuminates the great principle and act of the Atonement pertaining to our relationships with others and God. Within a couple of sentence that I paraphrase in my own words he states that if we lack to forgive someone else we are initially and ultimately saying to God that the perfect Being, Christ who has come down and offered up a perfect sacrifice for sin and all things is not sufficient enough to over this act that we are holding onto. We deny Christ and is offering to us and say that though he is perfect and he has made a perfect atonement it still isn't good enough for us to forgive. Who are we greater than God to say that his perfect and love isn't good for us?
President Uchtdorf then goes on within his talk and teaches us ways to help us to forgive. The essential key for us to forgive comes from Christ and the atonement that has been made. The Love of God, in which he talks about is this enabling power for us all to overcome these struggles and let go of all resentment. Through the Love of God we are moved upon by Christ, being filled with his Spirit to change and come to him. His love is perfect and powerful and it enables us to do all things including to forgive. If we have love for Christ we are then able to love others and are able to see them as Christ sees them.I have learned that when I need to forgive the most crucial things for me to do is to get on my knees and pray to God for help. I cannot forgive someone on my own, I need a higher power and strength to do so. As I pray for help my heart is soften and I am then able to pray for that person who has hurt or offended me. We all must give room in our hearts for forgiveness. The other thing that I have found helpful besides praying for them is to serve them and see them as God sees them, these things also develop through prayer but we must first make the step to pray. Prayer is key to this forgiveness process.
