Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
-Ephesians 4:32

No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes, and we all eventually have to be forgiven for something or other. Honestly, there’s really no way to live a peaceful and joyful life WITHOUT being able to forgive one another.

I don’t think there’s a place where the phrase “people are not perfect” rings more true than it does within married life. But that’s where we have the most chances to show forgiving love to one another! After all, if you can’t choose to forgive your partner and work with them to move past issues as they come up, it’s possible you might wake up one day to find that your relationship has stagnated considerably.

Will your current relationship or feelings lead to a marriage relationship of forgiving each other?

Of course, when we talk about “forgiveness,” we do not mean that you should tolerate or excuse a partner’s poor decisions. You don’t have to (and shouldn’t) put up with destructive behavior such as substance abuse or cheating. Rather, “forgiving love” is about making a decision to let go of any bitterness that might be taking root in your heart. Don’t let it fester!

For now, let’s search our hearts. Have you been able to forgive that person? Aren’t you letting that romantic emotion cloud that bitterness?

If you find any bitter feelings that you’ve been holding on to, I’d like to encourage you to make a decision to let them go.

I want you to remember one thing if you already know it.
If you don’t know this one thing, I want you to know it.

Jesus died on the cross to forgive all of us. And he was resurrected three days later. If we believe in him and receive his forgiveness, he will clean our hearts completely, making us white as snow!

So every day, when there are feelings that you know you need to let go, please just pray to Jesus: “Lord, I am choosing to forgive. Please help me.” You will receive strength from Jesus.

Forgiving love is not the product of mere chance, but rather the result of clear, continuous effort. Day by day, if you sow the seeds of forgiveness into your relationship, you will reap a bountiful harvest of genuine love. So today, let’s follow this strong command.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
-Ephesians 4:32