Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Love Forgives

“This one is tough – perhaps the toughest dare in the book.  But if there is to be any hope for your marriage, this is a challenge that must absolutely be taken seriously.  Forgiveness has to happen, or a successful marriage won’t.

We see all kinds of dangers and risks involved in forgiving others.  For instance, what they did was really wrong, whether they admit it or not.  They may not even be sorry about it.  They may even feel perfectly justified in their actions, even going so far as to blame you for it.  But forgiveness doesn’t absolve anyone of blame.  It doesn’t clear their record with God.  It just clears you of having to worry about how to punish them.  When you forgive another person, you’re not turning them loose.  You’re just turning them over to God, who can be counted on to deal with them His way.  You’re saving yourself the trouble of scripting any more arguments or trying to prevail in this situation.  It’s not about winning and losing anymore.  It’s about freedom.  It’s about letting go.”

Today’s Dare:  Whatever you haven’t forgiven in your mate, forgive it today.  Let it go.  Just as we ask Jesus to “forgive us our debts” each day, we must ask Him to help us “forgive our debtors” each day as well.  Unforgiveness has been keeping you and your spouse in prison too long.  Say from your heart, “I choose to forgive.”

I am happy to report that not only have I forgiven everything Steve has ever done to hurt me, bother me, offend me, etc.  I can also report that I have forgiven those members of his family who have hurt me.  I have totally and completely forgiven them, and it has freed me to love Steven even more than before.  God is so good to me!  I am so thankful that He has forgiven me and that He has enabled me to forgive others.

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