At General Conference in October, the newest apostle, Elder Andersen, said this: "To those who know me, if ever I have been less than I should have been in your presence, I ask for your forgiveness."
I've wondered over this for months now.
Our forgiveness of another is not dependent on their repentance or apology. "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men." (Doctrine & Covenants 64:10) Our forgiveness of someone who has wronged us frees us and lightens our hearts.
Our own repentance brings the same blessings of freedom and joy.
But what does their forgiveness of us do? Surely their forgiveness of our wrong is not required for us to feel our own burden lifted when we repent.
But, perhaps, the natural consequence of true repentance is that our hearts turn to the happiness of others, and knowing that their ability to forgive us will bless their lives, we hope it for them.
1 comment:
OK, here's what I think. If you forgive me, it does bless your life because you heart becomes more at ease. My asking forgiveness, blesses my life because I have humbled myself enough to recognize that I am imperfect and to express that not only am I sorry for my imperfections but that I want to do better and will try.
When you forgive me, tenderness and support and love disseminates from you, and I feel it in what you say and do, and so do all those around you even if they are not aware of the forgiveness going on. If the universe is filled with those nice feelings of forgiveness and understanding, I am blessed along with the universe, even though I don't know the who or why of it all.
If you are in a room full of people who all love each other, or who all forgive each other, you can feel it. A world full of forgiveness can be felt and we all benefit.
Love,
Mom
I love your questions.
Post a Comment