Attribute #9 - Forgiveness
Sam is kind and loving, and forgiving, too. Forgiveness can be a hard concept not only to grasp but also to live. However, it's a very important one if we want to have peace and happiness in our life.
Forgiveness: disposition or willingness to grant pardon to a person; absolution.
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
Moroni 6:8
But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven.
This first scripture reminds us that it is only through the Savior that we can be forgiven. This second scripture reminds me of the importance of seeking that forgiveness. It also reminds me of a little ritual that Sam learned in his family. When someone hurts someone else, either accidentally or deliberately, they need to go to the other person and say something like "I'm sorry for (fill in the blank). It was wrong of me and I won't do it again. Will you please forgive me?" Then the other person is supposed to say "I forgive you" and then they hug. Isn't that a neat way to deal with the topic of forgiveness?
I imagine some might think it's insincere and fake, but I also imagine if you start early enough, it becomes natural and sincere fairly quickly. It reminds me of something my parents instituted in our family when I was a teenager. The phrase was "I feel ____________ about _____________ because _____________ - and we weren't allowed to use the word "you" in the sentence. It was corny and awkward, but it worked! And I still remember it 40 years later.
I wonder if Mary and Joseph used techniques like this with their family, including Jesus. Whether or not they did, our Savior and Redeemer definitely learned to forgive and is the perfect example to follow as we strive to develop the attribute of forgiveness.
Here's just one of the many conference talks on forgiveness - "Forgiveness will change Bitterness to Love" by David E. Sorensen - which includes this paragraph:
This is not to say that forgiveness is easy. When someone has hurt us or those we care about, that pain can almost be overwhelming. It can feel as if the pain or the injustice is the most important thing in the world and that we have no choice but to seek vengeance. But Christ, the Prince of Peace, teaches us a better way. It can be very difficult to forgive someone the harm they’ve done us, but when we do, we open ourselves up to a better future. No longer does someone else’s wrongdoing control our course. When we forgive others, it frees us to choose how we will live our own lives. Forgiveness means that problems of the past no longer dictate our destinies, and we can focus on the future with God’s love in our hearts.
Forgiveness: disposition or willingness to grant pardon to a person; absolution.
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.
Moroni 6:8
But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven.
This first scripture reminds us that it is only through the Savior that we can be forgiven. This second scripture reminds me of the importance of seeking that forgiveness. It also reminds me of a little ritual that Sam learned in his family. When someone hurts someone else, either accidentally or deliberately, they need to go to the other person and say something like "I'm sorry for (fill in the blank). It was wrong of me and I won't do it again. Will you please forgive me?" Then the other person is supposed to say "I forgive you" and then they hug. Isn't that a neat way to deal with the topic of forgiveness?
I imagine some might think it's insincere and fake, but I also imagine if you start early enough, it becomes natural and sincere fairly quickly. It reminds me of something my parents instituted in our family when I was a teenager. The phrase was "I feel ____________ about _____________ because _____________ - and we weren't allowed to use the word "you" in the sentence. It was corny and awkward, but it worked! And I still remember it 40 years later.
I wonder if Mary and Joseph used techniques like this with their family, including Jesus. Whether or not they did, our Savior and Redeemer definitely learned to forgive and is the perfect example to follow as we strive to develop the attribute of forgiveness.
Here's just one of the many conference talks on forgiveness - "Forgiveness will change Bitterness to Love" by David E. Sorensen - which includes this paragraph:
This is not to say that forgiveness is easy. When someone has hurt us or those we care about, that pain can almost be overwhelming. It can feel as if the pain or the injustice is the most important thing in the world and that we have no choice but to seek vengeance. But Christ, the Prince of Peace, teaches us a better way. It can be very difficult to forgive someone the harm they’ve done us, but when we do, we open ourselves up to a better future. No longer does someone else’s wrongdoing control our course. When we forgive others, it frees us to choose how we will live our own lives. Forgiveness means that problems of the past no longer dictate our destinies, and we can focus on the future with God’s love in our hearts.
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