Why Do I Need To Forgive Others?

We have been commanded

to forgive all people!

What does it mean to forgive someone?

“Forgiveness allows the love of God to purge your heart & mind of the poison of hate. It

cleanses your consciousness of the desire for revenge. It makes place for the purifying,

healing, restoring love of the Lord” Elder Richard G. Scott

HATE

Forgiving others does not mean approving of their wrongdoing or offense.

Forgiving someone means that with the help of our

Father in Heaven, we can cleanse our hearts of anger

or hatred toward the offender, cease to dwell on the offense, and feel peace. This process is not always

easy or quick, but Heavenly Father will help us as we try

to forgive.

Moroni 6:8How often is the Lord willing to

forgive?

Why is it important for us

to have this same willingness to

forgive?

Matthew 18:21-22How often should we forgive others?How often do we ask the Lord to forgive us?

D&C 64:9-10Why should we forgive others?

Matthew 5:43-45What blessings does the Lord promise us if we are forgiving toward others?

How can forgiving others make us “children of our Father in Heaven”?

Paper Airplane Object Lesson

Holding a Grudge Weighs You DownTaping a weight to the wing of a paper airplane is like holding a grudge. When we refuse to forgive others, we carry around a weight that keeps us from traveling the straight and narrow path our Father in Heaven wants for us. It is important to forgive others so that we can enjoy the companionship of the Holy Spirit and grow spiritually.

President Hinckley…“There is no peace in harboring old

grudges. There is no peace in reflecting on the pain of old wounds. There is peace only in repentance and forgiveness.

Why is it difficult to feel peace when we do not forgive others?

How can forgiving others help us be peacemakers?

President Hinckley…

I think forgiveness may be the greatest virtue on earth, and certainly the most needed. There is so much of meanness and abuse, of intolerance and hatred. There is so great a need for repentance and forgiveness.

It is the great principle emphasized

in all of scripture, both ancient and modern.

Group #1 Nephi1 Nephi

7:16-21• What had Laman and Lemuel done that Nephi needed to forgive?

• How long did it take Nephi to decide to forgive his brothers?

Group #2 Joseph of EgyptGenesis 45:1-5, Genesis 45:10-15

When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, was he angry?

How did Joseph show his brothers that he had forgiven them?

Group #3 Prodigal SonLuke 15:11-32

How did the prodigal son’s father react when his son returned?

How did the older brother react when the prodigal son returned? What can we learn from the father’s response to his elder son?

A Divine Attribute…

To forgive is a divine attribute. It is to pardon or excuse someone from blame for an offense or misdeed.

The scriptures refer to forgiveness in two ways. The Lord commands us to repent of our sins and seek His forgiveness. He also commands us to forgive those who offend or hurt us.

Forgiveness can heal…In order to receive forgiveness for our

sins, we need to forgive others. Forgiving others allows us to

overcome feelings of anger, bitterness, or revenge.

Forgiveness can heal spiritual wounds and bring the peace and love that only God can give.

Which Spirit Will You Invite Into Your Life?When we burden ourselves with anger,

hate, and vengeance, we forfeit the blessings of having the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

We invite the spirit of the adversary into our lives and thus limit our own progress toward exaltation when we are unforgiving.

We invite the Holy Spirit into our lives when we follow the example of Jesus Christ and truly forgive.

Who gave us the best example to follow?

The Ultimate Example….“All his life he had been the victim of ugliness. As a newborn infant he had been spirited away to save his life at the instruction of an angel in a dream. … At the end of a hectic life he had stood in quiet, restrained, divine dignity. …“He was beaten, officially scourged. He wore a crown of thorns. … He was mocked and jeered. He suffered every indignity at the hands of his own people. … He was required to carry his own cross. … Finally, with the soldiers and his accusers down below him, he looked upon the Roman soldiers and said these immortal words: ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ (Luke 23:34)” (Spencer W. Kimball,

President Hinckley…The great Atonement was the supreme act of

forgiveness. The magnitude of that Atonement is beyond our ability to completely understand. I know only that it

happened, and that it was for me and for you. The suffering was so great, the agony so intense, that none

of us can comprehend it when the Savior offered Himself as a ransom for the sins of all mankind.

President UchtdorfI imagine that every person on earth has

been affected in some way by the destructive spirit of contention, resentment, and revenge. Perhaps there are even times when we recognize this spirit in ourselves. When we feel hurt, angry, or envious, it is quite easy to judge other people, often assigning dark motives to their actions in order to justify our own feelings of resentment.

President UchtdorfOf course, we know this is wrong. The

doctrine is clear. We all depend on the Savior; none of us can be saved without Him. Christ’s Atonement is infinite and eternal.

Forgiveness for our sins comes with conditions. We must repent, and we must be willing to forgive others. Jesus taught:

“Forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not … [stands] condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin” and “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

What is Mercy?Mercy is the compassionate treatment

of a person greater than what is deserved, and it is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Our Heavenly Father knows our weaknesses and sins. He shows mercy when He forgives us of our sins and helps us return to dwell in His presence.

We must also show mercy to others.

Think of some things others have done that have hurt or offended you.

How can the Savior’s example help you forgive others?

gossipbullyingteasing

sibling rivalryfamily conflictbeing left out

unfair treatment

We Tend To Judge Others…When it comes to our own prejudices

and grievances, we too often justify our anger as righteous and our judgment as reliable and only appropriate.

Though we cannot look into another’s heart, we assume that we know a bad motive or even a bad person when we see one. We judge the person and their motives.

Judging others vs. Having a Forgiving Attitude

a. She didn’t invite me to her party, so I’m not going to invite her.

b. She ignored me when I asked for her help. Maybe she was worried about something else.

c. She made fun of my hair, so I made fun of the way she dresses.

d. I guess I’ll forgive her, but I’m not going to talk to her.

e. She never sits by me or talks to me during class. I wonder if she’s shy.

President UchtdorfThis topic of judging others could

actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:

STOP IT!

It’s Simple…Forgive!It’s that simple. We simply have to stop

judging others and replace judgmental thoughts and feelings with a heart full of love [and forgiveness] for God and His children.

We simply need to forgive

We all make mistakes…We must recognize that we are all

imperfect.Haven’t we all made mistakes and

had to seek forgiveness?

Let Him With No Sin Cast The First Stone…

In a world of accusations and unfriendliness, it is easy to gather and cast stones. But before we do so, let us remember the words of the One who is our Master and model:

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.”

Self TestDo you harbor a grudge against someone

else?Do you gossip, even when what you say may

be true?Do you exclude, push away, or punish others

because of something they have done?Do you secretly envy another?Do you wish to cause harm to someone?If you answered yes to any of these questions,

you may want to apply the two-word sermon from earlier: STOP IT!

Do you want the Savior to forgive you?...Because we all depend on the mercy of God,

how can we deny to others any measure of the grace we so desperately desire for ourselves?,

Should we not forgive as we wish to be forgiven?

Love Your Enemies…Jesus said it is easy to love those who

love us; even the wicked can do that. But Jesus Christ taught a higher law.

“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

Mighty Change of HeartIs this difficult to do?Yes, of course.Forgiving ourselves and others is not

easy. In fact, for most of us it requires a major change in our attitude and way of thinking—even a change of heart. But there is good news. This “mighty change” of heart is exactly what the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring into our lives.

How is it done? Through the love of God.

The Love of God…When our hearts are filled with the

love of God, something good and pure happens to us.

The more we allow the love of God to swell within our hearts—the easier it is to love others with the pure love of Christ.

Slowly but surely our anger and animosity will fade.

Let Us Forgive OthersLet us put down our stones.Let us be kind.Let us forgive.Let us talk peacefully with each other.Let the love of God fill our hearts.“Let us do good unto all men.”

To Forgive Is Divine…Lay your burden at the Savior’s feet. Let go of judgment. Allow Christ’s Atonement to

change and heal your heart. Love one another. Forgive one another.