I come from a long line of grudge-holders. Sadly, my Grandma didn’t attend her own brother’s funeral because of a long previous offense that she couldn’t even recall. I have learned that holding grudges and withholding forgiveness feels a lot like carrying around a backpack full of heavy rocks. It sounds ridiculous to carry such a burden around unnecessarily, but when we choose not to forgive others the weight can be felt both physically as well as spiritually and emotionally. As we forgive others, we literally feel lighter as we toss off the burden of carrying around those “rocks.” As we try to become more like our Savior and learn by his forgiving example, we will enjoy the peace and light that comes through forgiveness.
Wendy Condie
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