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by Lydia Harris
** How couples resolve marital conflicts in their marriage is crucial in maintaining a healthy relationship. How do you resolve your conflicts? http://thelife.com/study/goodfight.html?section=goodfight
“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Psalm 32:1).
Read: Psalm 32:1-5
“Will you forgive me?” my husband asked after one of our heated “discussions.” (We didn’t call them arguments or fights, just discussions.)
I stiffened and didn’t reply. He doesn’t deserve it, I thought. I’d rather stay angry with him awhile. But I knew it took courage and humility for him to ask forgiveness, and he’d be upset if I said no. Always a peacemaker, he wanted to mend our relationship.
Although I didn’t feel like forgiving him, I remembered God forgave me when I didn’t deserve it. While still a sinner, Christ died for me (Romans 5:8). My heart softened, and I replied, “Yes, dear, I forgive you. Will you forgive me?” Our sweet relationship returned, and we hugged. It felt wonderful to forgive and be forgiven.
It’s even more wonderful to know God forgives us. Today’s verses remind us how blessed we are to have our sins covered and forgiven (vv. 1-2). When we acknowledge and confess our sins, God forgives us and removes our guilt (v. 5). Then our sweet relationship with Him is restored.
Forgiveness is essential for all relationships, whether with God or others. When our engaged son asked family and friends for marriage advice, I didn’t have to think long to give mine: “Be quick to forgive and ask forgiveness. Then you’ll reap peace and joy in your marriage.” I knew it was good advice. I’d tested it for 32 years.
Recently we celebrated Easter and recalled that our forgiveness came at a great price to God-the death of His dear son Jesus. How blessed and happy we are to be forgiven.
~Gracious God, thank you for forgiving my sins. When I confess them, You are faithful and just to forgive and cleanse me. Help me forgive others the way You have forgiven me.
Questions: Is there someone you need to forgive? What steps do you need to take to do so?
About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/lydia-e-harris/
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Forgiveness is a wonderful gift to give and also to receive.
I’ve found sometimes it’s a process to forgive and let go. We don’t want to let the person who offended us off the hook. But as we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts, we are really the ones on the hook. When God helps us truly forgive, our peace is restored, even if the other person doesn’t change or ask forgiveness.
My other thought about forgiveness is that sometimes the person we need to forgive is ourselves. God forgives us and forgets, but sometimes we hang on instead of fully releasing the past and forgiving ourselves.
Lord, thank you that Your mercies are new every morning. And Your forgiveness is only a prayer away. Thank you that You’ve made a way for us to be released from our guilt and sins. We don’t need to carry them or atone for them ourselves. Jesus already did that for us. We thank You and bless Your name. Lord, show us if there are others we need to forgive. And if so, help us take the steps necessary to do so. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Is there someone you know who needs the gift of forgiveness today? Maybe it’s you, forgiving yourself.
Lord, thank You that You love us, imperfect as we are. You see us as righteous in Christ. Today we bask in Your unconditional love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bless your day,
Lydia
Thank you, Lydia, for this wonderful devotional and for your prayers for all of us! What a huge blessing you, and all the other writers of these devotions, are to us! :)
it is alway good to forgive
Yes Lydia, your thoughts on forgiveness echo mine. That is what I believe about forgiveness. However, what I believe and what really happens are somehow disconnected. I think I have forgiven someone and the next week I realize I am thinking (obsessing) about what that person did to me. Then I think about all the things I perceive that person may have done in the past.
It seems like forgiveness can be more than a one time thing in some cases. If a person does something in the present, it is hard not to think about what that person did in the past. So each hurt kind of multiplies. Lately, when I find myself thinking negatively about a person, I have to say “I forgive you” again in my mind and then lift that person, or situation up to God. I may have to do it several times in a few minutes. Is there away to truly forgive someone and not let the past keep interfering with the present?
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! I struggled with a something for quite a while and wasn’t getting any victory over it. I’d ask forgivenss and kept doing it! i even denied I had a problem. I finally went for help. The advice I got seemed so simple. Accept God’s forgiveness! I even fought the answer and it seemed it should be another way! I even complained to the Lord about it! Another friend pointed out that it was just as simple as that! The Lord gently nudged me to let go and accept this forgiveness. I had to go back to the person and say I was wrong! I tend to think at times I know more than others when it wasn’t what I wanted to hear! I have been set free Praise the Lord!
On April 3rd I was touched by your message on this blog… I just posted a thankyou but wanted to add it to today’s blog. The prayers that day were very special and is like a miracle… Prayers … Here’s what I put on 4-3-08 just a few minutes ago — Jesus already forgave us. Thankyou. Amen. Prayers are beautiful. I sat and read all your comments and wept. Your prayers touched me. Words sometimes are not enough. God Bless us all. Amen. Hallelujah… Praise the Lord… Thankyou Jesus.
Hi jerseygirl, we need not look any further than the Lord’s Prayer to know how we are to forgive others. . . “and forgive us our debts (trespasses) as we forgive our debtors (those who trespass against us) . . .” Our experience of God’s forgiveness is correlated to our willingness to forgive others. And, the Lord told us that we are to forgive our brethren (generic) who sin against us, not seven times, but seventy times seven! (Mt 18:21-35) For those who live with difficult people who are a daily challenge in forgiveness, it is helpful to start each day afresh, with a clean slate, trusting God for the grace to meet that challenge! Pray diligently for those who you need to forgive, and the Holy Spirit will tenderize your heart in the process! :)
Yes, “Seventy times seven” or “Without counting”
I believe that this passage has more than one application. And Jersey girl, one of the latter might be what you are looking for.
First: Forgiving those who repeatedly offend or sin against us
Second: Forgiving the many aspects of one offense. For example if you have been sexually abused to forgive the person for abusing you is just step one. In order to be completely free of this person it will be necessary to forgive for each specific negative emotion experienced (shame, guilt, fear, worthlessness, etc) and each negative impact (promiscuity, marriage problem, depression, subsequent abortion, etc.) and so on.
Third: Ongoing aspects of one offense. We know we have forgiven yet seeing this person, or finding ourselves in a situation that brings back memories of the offense also brings back memories of the hurt. When this happens it is important to forgive again, not for the original offense, that has been done, but for the emotions you feel right here and now. This may be a process, but the enemy will usually eventually give up when he finds that he can no longer get you to doubt the original forgiveness.
HI I AM ENCOURAGE TO Know that God forgive me of all my sins and wash it clean in the blood of Jesus John 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that who so ever believe in him should not parish for they shall have everlasting life and Iam bless and I don’t have to look back into my past any more because my sins is forgiven and God made me whole again
Thank you Patricia for your comment..not sure i can count the number of times I need to forgive each day..but remembering what cost our Lord paid helps a lot.
Hi everyone, I guess no one but me and my computer are up this late. It is 12:00 here but I loved the devotional. Forgiveness has come hard at times but is sweet in the end.It hasn’t always been easier when I was younger. I had to forgive quickly to learn that it is so much better to not let bitterness or strife dwell in my heart. Usually the other person goes on with their life while we sit and stew…and stew …and stew but forgiving quickly honors God and usually shows a lot about our walk with our Lord. Maturity comes when we want to please God’s heart instead of our own. Blessings everyone
Hi dear glory girls, this is Linda from China. I haven’t come to this blog for a long time. But I come here to read your comments every day. I love this blog and I love to meet all of you here.
I would like to share with you some Forgiveness Quotations. It is quite true that “It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend. ” Sometimes you can hardly forgive your loved one.
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Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom.
Anonymous
Forgiveness is the scent that the rose leaves on
the heel that crushes it.
John Arnott
Grace is getting something that you don’t deserve; and mercy is not getting something that you do deserve.
Francis Bacon
This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge keeps
his wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well.
Josiah Bailey
They who forgive most shall be most forgiven.
William Blake
The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.
It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.
Henry Ward Beecher
God pardons like a mother, who kisses the
offense into everlasting forgiveness.
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I can forgive, but I cannot forget” is only another way of saying, “I will not forgive.”
Forgiveness ought to be like a canceled note–torn in two and burned up so that it never can be shown against one.
Paul Boese
Forgiveness does not change the past, but it
does enlarge the future.
Les Brown
Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes
and move on.
E. H. Chapin
Never does the human soul appear so strong as when is foregoes revenge and dares to forgive an injury.
Confucius
To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.
Course in Miracles©
I could see peace instead of this.
~~~~
As forgiveness allows love to return to my awareness, I will see a world
of peace and safety and joy.
~~~~
Do you prefer that you be right or happy?
Norman Cousins
Life is an adventure in forgiveness.
John Dryden
Reason to rule, mercy to forgive: The first is law, the last prerogative.
Louis Dudek
What is forgiven is usually well remembered.
Earl of Chesterfield
Little vicious minds abound with anger and revenge and are incapable of feeling te pleasure of forgiving their enemies.
linda j
i loved what you put here about forgiveness. we all need to get forgiveness and to give it too.
sharon b