A Humble & Forgiving Heart

If love is to last in our relationships, we must Listen with all our hearts and Forgive with all our hearts. In day two, we explained the difference between acceptance and forgiveness. However, some issues in marriage are actually forgiveness issues. Understand this; relationships are between two imperfect people. They are going to step on each other's toes and say hurtful things sometimes. Someone is going to be careless and be out rightly nasty but God wants us to forgive. Not with a part of our hearts but with ALL of our hearts. God wants you to forgive all with all!

Eph.4:32 “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” [with emphasis]. After reading this scripture, I said to the Lord, can this Scripture be adjusted from “forgiving one another” to perhaps read, “not offending one another”. But God knows that we are imperfect people living in a broken world. God knows that it is impossible for us not to offend each other so He says forgive. “Marriage is a union of two great forgivers” - Anon. You have to forgive and keep on forgiving. Make up your mind in advance to forgive no matter what and to forgive with all your heart.

For love to last, the third thing I must do is be humble with all my heart. You and I need to be unselfish with all our hearts because it is a subsect of being humble. Selfishness is a major destroyer of marriages. When two people in a marriage label things as ‘mine - do not touch!’, there are bound to be issues. The man decides to drink a cup of coffee and the wife insists he must not use her mug. Or the woman is eating her dinner and the man insists she must not use his spoon. As simple as that is, sometimes it can get worse because it magnifies selfishness. 

The painful thing is that even when you confront some people with their selfishness and try to help them see how it is destroying their relationship. Sometimes such people choose self over their relationships and the other person ends up hurt. Sometimes we think that because we are Christians and God hates divorce, we can do anything we want. It is plain foolish to live like that. If you insist on being selfish, you will terminate your marriage yourself. Selfishness is a huge destroyer; like a cankerworm.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me listen with all my heart, forgive with all my heart and be totally selfless in my relationships, in Jesus Name. Amen!