Find Healing through Forgiveness

The Savior will heal your heart if you are willing to turn your pain over to Him. Forgiving others is part of that process.

One of the greatest gifts God has given us is our free will. Unfortunately, some people choose to use their freedom in ways that hurt others. When that happens, part of the healing process is forgiving the person who harmed you or someone you love.

Forgiveness means letting go of bitterness, anger, resentment, and thoughts of revenge. It means seeing the person who hurt you with compassion—as a child of God with the potential to repent and change.

The Strength to Forgive

Kristy found peace the day she let go of her anger over her parents’ divorce.

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Sometimes people resist the idea of forgiveness because they wrongly feel that to forgive requires saying that what happened to them was OK. They might be afraid that forgiveness will mean the person who hurt them doesn’t have to face any consequences or that they’ll have to let that person back into their life to hurt them again. But forgiveness allows for healthy boundaries. For example, someone can forgive an abuser without reentering the relationship.

Jesus Christ taught that in order to receive forgiveness from God, we must forgive others (see Matthew 6:14–15). You can feel more confidence in accessing divine grace for your mistakes when you extend mercy to others.

Forgiveness brings peace. When you forgive, you make more room in your life for things that will bring you happiness instead of misery. These steps can help you start on the path to forgiveness:

Pray

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You don’t need to rely on your own strength. If you sincerely ask God for help, you can be blessed beyond your individual capacity.

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Remember God’s Forgiveness

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Gratitude for all of the times God has shown you forgiveness of your mistakes can help you feel more willing to extend mercy to others.

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Redirect Your Thoughts

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Dwelling on your anger and hurt blocks your ability to forgive. When you find your thoughts going down a familiar road of listing all the ways someone wronged you, make the effort to think of something else. You may need a distraction, like a good book, to help.

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Serve Others

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Following Jesus’s example of service can help you follow His example of forgiveness. When you serve others, it helps you become more like the Savior and develop greater empathy. This makes forgiveness easier.

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