Scripture of the Day: “And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor’s trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation” (Mosiah 26:31).
The best way to understand this scripture verse is to read the one before it also: “Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me” (Mosiah 26:30).
So, putting the two together... the Lord is saying that He will forgive us if we repent, but our repentance isn’t complete if we’re still holding grudges against others. Seems fair, right?
But let’s be honest—it can be really hard to forgive people! Especially when they don’t seem sorry.
When that happens, it’s good to keep in mind that forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to give them the chance to hurt you again. It’s okay and understandable if you’re upset about what happened! And if someone hurt you in a serious way, forgiving them doesn’t mean that you can’t ever hold that person accountable.
What it does mean is that you are willing to look at what happened in the context of a bigger picture. When we forgive, we are willing to trust that God will perfectly judge that person one day. We are willing to trust that the Savior paid the price for that sin already, so we can accept the comfort He offers.
Are we willing to loosen our angry grip on the past and let the Lord show us how to let it go? It might take time, but it is possible!