Whoa, this one is going to hurt a little...

This blog post hurt my little head when I wrapped my brain around the concept that I'm trying to portray. It talks about the "why" of forgiveness. There are many reasons as to why to forgive: to free yourself from the anger and hate, to free the offender from guilt and worry, to release yourself from the negative affects of harboring ill feelings, and on and on. In fact, a lot of times people will say forgiveness is not about the offender but about you so you can move on.  And while I agree with that concept, an almost higher law popped into my head after reading in "The Infinite Atonement."

Let me explain...from "The Infinite Atonement" we read, "It was CS Lewis who again reaffirmed this divine proposition: "It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature...which you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

Holy cow batman! That concept is incredibly great. To paraphrase, he is saying that we, our actions, are either helping someone become a God or Goddess or someone an eternal horror. So our actions, have imprints and consequences to other's lives. Even if they have hurt us beyond measure, we have a choice to help them become more like Christ or more evil. That's it. You have a choice in forgiving and helping them home, or not and helping them drive a wedge between them and God. However, be careful if you do not, and I say this more to myself, you may be driving the wedge between yourself and God.

I would hate to be the one who gets up to the pearly gates and has to explain to Heavenly Father why I couldn't find a way to help a brother or sister home. Even one that has hurt me. Now that being said, I am still working on hurt feelings and trying to get there for a friend that hurt me. The why forgive makes great sense, now the how to forgive is a little harder. Just today my son told me something my friend's son said and it reopened the wounds of hurt that I have been working on. Knowing this important concept though, has helped me see and understand God's will, and I will forgive.

Another great reason to forgive others is...CS Lewis said, "Being a Christian means forgiving the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." So do we just forgive through words? Or does our very being seek out how to help the one we forgive? Which would  you want the Savior to do for you?

There are so many reasons why to forgive and not any good reasons why you shouldn't forgive.