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Forgiveness

Today at church I heard a definition of forgiveness that I'd never heard nor even thought about before, and it stuck out a LOT at me: "Forgiveness is repentance for a failure to love."

Love who?  Love of God.  Love of others.  Love of self.  We are our own worst critics, and often the hardest person to forgive is ourself.  But as we learn to love ourselves, we learn to love God, and to forgive ourselves, implementing the Atonement in our lives.  As we learn to love God, and love as God loves, we are more open to speedy forgiveness of others.  I think Nephi had this down...his own brothers tried to take his life, and he "swiftly forgave" them.  That is just incredible.  And often we are slow to forgive (others and ourselves) for even trivial matters that really don't matter in the eternal scheme of things.

As we learn to love others, we automatically learn to expand out capacity to forgive.  And that brings blessings beyond compare!!!!!!  What a great gift this is, both to us and to others, from others, ourselves, and most importantly, from God.  It is such a great feeling to be forgiven, to realize that others love us, to realize that they understand our imperfections and know that through the Atonement, Christ fills in our shortcomings, perfecting us through His mercy and love.  It is great to feel that others recognize the change that happens in us and in our hearts.
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