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.
Some hold grudges for a lifetime,
unaware that courageously forgiving
those who have wronged us is whole-
some and therapeutic.
Gary Ceran, whose wife and two chil-
dren were killed on Christmas Eve
when their vehicle was hit by a truck,
immediately expressed his forgive-
ness and concern for the alleged
MAY 2007 drunk driver.
Last February, when a
car crashed into Bishop Christopher
Williams??s vehicle, he had a decision
to make, and it was to ??uncondition-
ally forgive??
the driver who had
caused the accident so that the
healing process could take place
unhampered.
When tragedy strikes, we
should not respond by seeking personal revenge
but rather let justice
take its course and then let go.
It is
not easy to let go and empty our
hearts of festering resentment.
The
Savior has offered to all of us a precious peace
through His Atonement,
but this can come only as we are willing to cast out
negative feelings of
anger, spite, or revenge.
For all of
us who forgive those who trespass
against us,
even those who have
committed serious crimes, the
Atonement brings a measure of
peace and comfort.