Learning to Apologize Well in MarriageSample

Keep Short Accounts

Just as you will need to apologize in marriage, you will need to forgive. Moving forward, this will be a process you repeat over and over. As scripture states, it’s an ongoing process, not once, not seven times, but over and over, as often as needed.

As Matthew 18 demonstrates, we can forgive and receive forgiveness freely because of the forgiveness God has given to us. The cost of His forgiveness was Jesus’s blood, and it was sufficient for your sin, now and forever, and that of anyone who sins against you. You cannot believe that His forgiveness covers your sin but does not cover an offense against you. You cannot receive His grace for yourself while denying it to another.

There’s no greater grace than God’s grace for you and I. When we receive His grace, it causes our hearts to soften and to extend grace toward others.

Consider how you can “put on” compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, and “bear with” one another, forgive as the Lord has forgiven you, and above all, love your spouse. Look for opportunities to practice confession and to give grace. As you do, you will build a culture where it is normal to be human. You can freely confess and freely forgive, knowing that God’s forgiveness far surpasses that which we will ever be able to extend to one another.

As you go forward, ask God to help you, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.”

Next Steps:

• What would a culture of forgiveness look like in a home?
• In what ways are you refusing to forgive your spouse?
• Is difficulty forgiving yourself causing you to hold on to the sins of your spouse?

Thanks for taking the time to complete this YouVersion plan! This plan was written by Lindsay Few, Content Director of Awesome Marriage.

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