Forgiving as We Were Forgiven

Forgiving your spouse doesn't mean saying what he did was right. It doesn't mean pretending it didn't hurt. It's a decision to set down the weight you carry when you hold on to hurt — because that weight falls on you first. Paul ties our forgiveness to God's forgiveness, and that's where it gets serious. God has forgiven you so much. So very much. And that forgiveness wasn't cheap — it cost the cross. When you remember that, whatever your spouse did — no matter how bad — comes into perspective. That doesn't minimize the pain. It minimizes the power the pain has to hold you captive. Forgiving is an act you may need to repeat several times over the same thing before your heart catches up with what your decision has already made. And that's okay. Keep choosing to forgive.