Attaining Peace in Our Lives

Forgiveness

There are many different things people do in this world that can cause us hurt. Individuals in our neighborhood, individuals we work with, go to school with, and beyond can all offend us and cause us hurt. Even family members can hurt us. Why do those we love sometimes hurt us the most? How do we regain peace in our lives after a serious offense? Elder Richard G. Scott concluded that, “The sure path to peace and healing is forgiveness.”

I would like to share a personal experience about forgiveness from within my family of origin. If we want to be forgiven it is important that we forgive others. Throughout my life I have struggled with forgiving my father for his actions towards my mother and my sister. My mother and father decided to get a divorce while I was young. However I was old enough to know of the hurt and see the betrayal in my parents’ marriage. As I have gotten older I feel as if I have developed a closer relationship with my Heavenly Father. Being raised in the gospel of Jesus Christ and understanding the importance of forgiveness and well as the Atonement has helped me to know that my responsibility is to forgive. I have forgiven my father and I pray that he will have the desire to repent if he has not already done so. I know that my father must have guilt associated with his actions and if I ever see him again while on Earth I want him to have the peace of knowing that I have forgiven him. I also try to remember the many mistakes I have made in my life and how God and others have forgiven me of my sins. This helps me remember that I need to forgive others and let go of resentments.

            Forgiveness is not a term only used by Latter Day Saints. The word forgiveness and its meaning have become increasingly prominent in professional literature. “Mental health experts acknowledge that it is impossible to address emotional and physical well-being without considering the relevance of forgiveness.” Just as mental health experts suggest, forgiveness can improve damaged family relationships and bring about better emotional and physical health. I know that using my own agency and choosing to forgive my father improved my emotional state of being. Holding onto negative feelings only made me depressed and emotionally worn-out. My negative feelings not only affected me emotionally but they also impacted my physical health decisions. I had no desire to become better until I chose to forgive my father.

It takes time and effort to forgive another individual, especially for serious offences. It is never easy, in fact it can be really hard, but it benefits not only the individual you are choosing to forgive but it also brings peace into your life. I would like to leave you with a video that has inspired me and taught me that I can forgive others for any wrongdoing. I hope this Mormon Message video gives you hope and helps to bring you peace!