This post by Rebecca originally appeared at feminist Mormon housewives on June 11, 2007. You can see the original post and comments here.
I really enjoyed reading Elder Faust’s talk from the last conference on forgiveness.
Forgiving is not something I’m really very good at. I hold grudges galore, and I know it’s bad for me. I’ve recently had reason to forgive someone very close to me. It wasn’t easy. It was very hard to overcome feelings of anger and hurt.
Quoting Dr. Sidney Simon, from Elder Faust’s talk:
“Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering the strengths we always had and relocating our limitless capacity to understand and accept other people and ourselves.”
Elder Faust goes on to say:
Most of us need time to work through pain and loss. We can find all manner of reasons for postponing forgiveness. One of these reasons is waiting for the wrongdoers to repent before we forgive them. Yet such a delay causes us to forfeit the peace and happiness that could be ours. The folly of rehashing long-past hurts does not bring happiness.
I was reminded by my husband yesterday as we talked about the lesson on the way home from church, that we so easily cast stones at those we perceive are sinning, yet forget that we sin just as much but in different ways.
As I sat yesterday afternoon, thinking about the sin committed against me, I felt shame that I have many times also sinned against this person, and have been forgiven.
I was hurting myself as I held on to the anger and indignation that I felt, and was denying myself the peace and happiness that Elder Faust talked of.
To forgive was a wonderful thing. The anger went away, was replaced by love and I was able to feel the peace that the Spirit can bring.
