Happy Friday to all of us! I wish you all could join me for breakfast and a cup of Door County Pecan Cinnamon Ice Cream Coffee . I am going to enjoy this one this morning and one cup later this afternoon. I have a long drive today and a cup of coffee will make the trip home that much more of a pleasure.
I have some thoughts on marriage that I would like to share today from a Biblical point of view. If I were to talk to someone getting married or to couples who have been married for a long time I would speak to them about forgiving. True forgiveness really says "I love you."
When you forgive someone, you stop feeling angry. The Webster definition also speaks to a change in feelings preceding the act of forgiveness—a far cry from the biblical depiction. Rather, in Scripture we find that forgiveness is an action made in the midst of negative feelings, making it a beautiful expression of love.
Let's face it ,we are not perfect people and we make mistakes. We then marry a person who we think is perfect and we hold them to the ideal that they are not allowed to make mistakes. So when they do make a mistake and it causes some hurt to us, we feel that we just can't forgive them. They ruined our idea of what they are supposed to be. We often forget our own faults because our faults did not hurt us. We then begin to think that we are perfect. Not so, not at all. We need to love to forgive and we need to forgive to love.
#1 To avoid making others be overwhelmed
2 Corinthians 2:5-8 NIV
If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.
#2 Love will lead to forgiving others
1 Corinthians 13:4 - 6 NIV
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
This has worked for 1000 years in our marriage. It is Biblical advice and can be started before the wedding. It works well with other relationships like friends and family. Forgive to live. Forgive to love, And most of all love to forgive.
Have a great day.
Marty
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