Mormon 4

(June 13, 2015)

                The Lord seemingly has only the rarest of need to punish anyone.  Punishment seems to almost always come from one of three ways – either it is the wicked punishing the wicked, the wicked punishing themselves (the natural consequences to their souls of their actions), or the Lord withdrawing assistance which the wicked need.

                As I face a challenging situation tomorrow, where I fully expect someone to use dishonesty to make an attempt to destroy my life, I pray that I always remember the blessing that it is to be persecuted.  I pray that I do not leave demanding justice for the damage done to me, but rather that I leave praying for mercy for the ones who hurt me falsely.  The Lord has no need to punish and neither should I – punishment will come absent repentance, and nothing will change that.  Rather I should pray that I be filled with charity and forgiveness for them and pray that they too will escape the consequences of what they do as I have been blessed to escape the consequences of my sins.