Welcome.

Greeting a sunny Sabbath morning, I slipped out of bed – eager, as I always am, to be renewed and refreshed by my time with the Savior during the holy sacrament. I was also looking forward to, as I always do, mingling with like minded believers and being edified and uplifted by such associations.

Today was especially exciting. I currently serve as a ward missionary, and the ward mission leader had asked me to role play setting up a family mission plan with two families in the ward. I had prepared, coordinated with the respective families, and felt good about the outline.

I was to role play with one family and then switch rooms and role play with the other family. The first one was fun and went well. The second one was good I thought until I solicited feedback from ward members.

Many comments were shocking and hurtful, and I felt totally attacked standing up there in front of the room. I did my best to solicit further information, inquiring how I might publicly present in a more delicate manner.

It was rough. I felt like Samuel the Lamanite trying to dodge arrows. The only difference was whereas Samuel was protected from the jabs, I was not. They hit me square in the heart. I’d never been in this situation before, never had quite an experience like this one. I’d never been publicly humiliated in church.

Until today.

After church was over, I had a very important choice to make. Would I be offended? Would I choose offense? Would I let Satan have the victory?

So many times in the past, I’ve succumbed to his temptation to be offended, but I wanted different this time.

I prayed.

I asked for help to let those words tumble out of my heart and off my shoulders.

And the grace of Christ came rushing over me, and I let them go. We let them go together.

And it felt SO GOOD.

I am grinning from ear to ear because I am the victor today.

I am not bound down under the weight of offense. I am not burdened. I am free. I am the conqueror through Christ, Jesus. 1

Another reason I’m so happy is because this is progress. Some few years ago, I would not have reacted this way. I would have chosen to hold onto the hurt, the offense, the pain, the everything. But I chose differently today.

I choose better over bitter. 2 And those hurtful words have been released; they are floating somewhere over the Rockies by now. Long gone.

I choose forgiveness, freedom, happiness, love, joy.

My personal growth that often seems so incredibly imperceptible was so perceptible today, and I am rejoicing in the closing chasm.

Thank you, Jesus, for infusing me with Thy grace to overcome who I used to be and Thy grace to become someone better, more holy, more like Thee!

I want to leave my witness for myself and others today at Untoalltheworld that forgiveness is the way forward, peace with self and God a beautiful reward of deciding to grant it, and the act that precedes the champ’s crown.

Unto all the world: I am grinning from ear to ear today!

1. Romans 8:37

2. Rabbi Fishel (see Rabbi Fishel’s Blog – Chabad of Naples)