"The Miracle Of Forgiveness" ~

Several years ago I read a book entitled, "The Miracle of Forgiveness" by our then prophet; President Spencer W. Kimball. This book had a profound effect upon the way that I looked at the divine gift of forgiveness. There are two very important principles that surround the miracle of forgiveness. First, we are must forgive others and second we must forgive ourselves when we fall short and repent.
Through the years I have found that the main training ground for the principle of forgiveness is found within the family circle. Sometimes it is easier to forgive a friend than it is to forgive a family member. Satan knows this well and if he can destroy a family; he has accomplished a huge victory.
Is there such a thing as righteous judgement? On this question we usually don't have all of the facts; we just think we do. Is it OK to have an unforgiving heart? The following scriptures will support the fact that no; it is not right.
3 Nephi 14: 2;  "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again".
Luke 6:37; "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."
We are to forgive one another regardless of the fact that the other person may not repent or ever change.  An important question that is asked of us when we get a temple recommend  Is the following: "Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?" This is a very important question that we should all think about more deeply.
President Thomas S. Monson in the Woman's Conference stated the following in his message; "Charity Never Faileth ;"
"Rather than being judgemental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey of life." The following is a story from this message:
"A young couple, Lisa and John, moved into a new neighborhood. One morning while they were eating breakfast, Lisa looked out the window and watched her next-door neighbor hanging out her wash.“That laundry’s not clean!” Lisa exclaimed. “Our neighbor doesn’t know how to get clothes clean!”John looked on but remained silent. Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, Lisa would make the same comments. A few weeks later Lisa was surprised to glance out her window and see a nice, clean wash hanging in her neighbor’s yard. She said to her husband, “Look, John—she’s finally learned how to wash correctly! I wonder how she did it.”
John replied, “Well, dear, I have the answer for you. You’ll be interested to know that I got up early this morning and washed our windows!”
From a conference message entitled: "Is There A Point Of No Return".  by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf; the following question was answered: How Does Extending Forgiveness Help Us to Receive God’s Forgiveness?
"Jesus taught us eternal truth when He taught us to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. … For, if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not … neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (3 Nephi 13:11, 14–15). 

Therefore, extending forgiveness is a precondition to receiving forgiveness.For our own good, we need the moral courage to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. Never is the soul nobler and more courageous than when we forgive. This includes forgiving ourselves.
Each of us is under a divinely spoken obligation to reach out with pardon and mercy and to forgive one another. There is a great need for this Christlike attribute in our families, in our marriages, in our wards and stakes, in our communities, and in our nations.
We will receive the joy of forgiveness in our own lives when we are willing to extend that joy freely to others. Lip service is not enough. We need to purge our hearts and minds of feelings and thoughts of bitterness and let the light and the love of Christ enter in. As a result, the Spirit of the Lord will fill our souls with the joy accompanying divine peace of conscience (see Mosiah 4:2–3).
President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “The essence of the miracle of forgiveness is that it brings peace....  (The Miracle of Forgiveness, 363, 368).

The Carpenter

Take a moments and read this sweet testimony from my daugher
http://asmallmoment.blogspot.com/2011/09/listening-to-promptings.html







 

My Gratitude Gifts

. gift of repentance

. gift of forgiveness

. children that walk in truth

. a caring husband

. gift of charity

. gift of testimony

. gift of Sacrament

. Great friends

. Great neighbors

. Great family

. Great Ancestors