A Few Random, Serious Thoughts

I've figured out why I am a Young Women teacher in my ward - it's a sure way of getting me to really think about some things. So my thoughts generally run along the same lines as the title of whichever lesson I am currently working on. Thus, I have been thinking a lot about forgiveness.

I found this great quote online, but it wasn't attributed to anyone, so I'll just say it's "anonymous" - "Forgiveness happens when you no longer feel the need to be right." 
Wow. That one hit me right between the eyes.

I was thinking about an experience I had a few years ago. There was someone that I felt had really wronged me and I had a difficult time getting past it. Hurt feelings gushing out all over the place...ok, really just inside of me, but my insides were mush. You know the feeling. So, anyway, here I am for months, thinking that I am the used, mistreated, victimized party. One Sunday I was sitting in church listening to a talk on forgiveness, and the speaker said something that changed my whole viewpoint. I knew that I needed to ask forgiveness of the person I was "offended" by for all the horrible feelings I had toward them for so long. Admittedly, it was difficult, and a little embarrassing to follow through with it, but the PEACE I felt afterward! So much better.

I wonder why we forget that when we don't forgive someone and we hold a grudge against them, that we are only hurting ourselves. 9 times out of 10, the other party has no idea what they have done and all the anguished feelings their actions have caused us. And if they are aware, sometimes they don't care, so they go on their merry way while we writhe and allow our spirit to wither. It only hurts us. Not them. Not that person who wronged me. Only me.

I'm not saying it's easy to forgive. I struggle with it just as most of us do. But I was thinking - maybe it shouldn't be easy. Maybe it's part of our struggle in this life of growth and learning, and the struggle helps us to appreciate the victory.