I have had reason in my personal life recently to reflect on the spiritual power of forgiveness.  I was grateful this week to find meditations on the same subject by Rev. Ragnar Boyesen - shared here in the hope that it encourages you in your own work to reflect the Lord's forgiveness in how you treat your neighbors.

Love and Peace,

Ethan 

Evil spirits will always strive to develop or draw out the evils and falsities of others with the end of condemnation. An angel, on the other hand, strives to develop or bring out what is good and true in a neighbor, while excusing the evils they find with them (Swedenborg, Secrets of Heaven 1088).  If we dwell on the evils and mistakes of others, then this comes from the spirit of unmercifulness which delights in robbing the happiness of others. While robbing, it is destructive, and since this is the antithesis of love, it demonstrates that self[ish] love can never forgive.

But the one who does not dwell on the shortcomings of others or seek to reciprocate a mistake or oversight with evil, rather seeking forgiveness and tolerance, practices charity through willing well while forgiving. To forgive another, the Word tells us, "is to see another not from their [mistake or] evil, but from good" (Swedenborg, Secrets of Heaven 7697).

Repentance is the highway to charity. Forgiveness is that wonderful sign that we have traveled the highway and have come to one of the many resting places of true love. Forgiveness is that harmonious exchange with our brother or sister where they are seen from love or from good. The false open mindedness which is capable of seeing all manner of evil without reacting is not true forgiveness. Rather this is a callousness which participates in evil. 

Forgiveness of another, however, does not mean that we accept or trade in their evil. Quite the opposite the one who is willing to seek forgiveness through repentance of evil is not afraid to point out that evil stands in the way of a genuine conjunction with a fellow human being. What we permit or defend is that very same spiritual action we would do if we ourselves had an opportunity of expression.

Forgiveness breathes tolerance, not intolerance which condemns first and asks later. Forgiveness means that we are constant in our love of the one who really needs us. We may not withdraw our love from another when our neighbor might really need help. Neither are we to retreat into a state of cold where a spirit of correction toward our brother or sister seems easier than mercy.

How great is our own debt to the Lord! His love is poured out for us every day, surpassing all we can comprehend or ever hope to return to Him. The Lord does not on that account resort to pessimism or pride as we do when we feel bypassed or hurt. He never seeks to return evil for evil, but lavishes good on us. His love hungers for our reception; it never counts our past failures. Love does not look back. It excuses always and longs for the future happiness of conjunction. As soon as we have asked the Lord for forgiveness, it is there, promoting repentance and helping us to receive His Divine love.

Who of us has not felt that someone owes us something? But what is one hundred pence against ten thousand talents? What is a small misdeed of a neighbor against the evil of our own egotism? What is the passing labor you spend on another against the rivers of love flowing in every day from the Lord? Can you repay it? Should you not show mercy on another?

What love gives becomes a bond, a reciprocal debt among people. The greater the debt, the stronger ought love to be. However, true love does not demand a return. It forgives the debt. The Lord's recompense is our forgiveness of our fellows.  Without trust in each other, while acknowledging our own weaknesses which we sincerely seek forgiveness for through repentance, life in this world will continue to be a vale of tears and fear. 

If we could only acknowledge that we are in debt to each other, in constant need of forgiveness and mercy from our fellow human beings, then we should not find a life of use so difficult. It would be easier to let the Lord have access to all our small and great tasks, to give us the power to resist selfishness and greed. He would lead us with angels, and as they did, we would look upon ourselves as debtors and servants He will have mercy upon and forgive if we from our hearts forgive our brother or sister their trespasses against us.