Forgiveness

Ephesians 4:32 “Instead, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”

 

Today’s challenge is different.   Forgive someone who has hurt you, wronged you, upset you.  Even if they don’t ask for it.   For whatever reason you are harboring anger and bitterness toward someone, you must release it.  Anger, hate and bitterness are like cancer.  They eat away at you from the core of your being.  The one you love may not even know that you are angry with them.  What we don’t realize though is that when we don’t forgive it doesn’t hurt others, it actually hurts us.  Christ forgives the unforgivable.  Why then can we not forgive those we love?  Do not let the sun go down on your anger has been quoted for as long as I can remember.  I never really understood it until I married Adam.   Any night that I went to bed without discussing what had upset me, I never could sleep.  My favorite , (not really), was those moments weeks later when we would have a discussion or disagreement about something and I would throw out that thing that had upset me weeks before…His response was always the same!  “That isn’t what we are talking about, if that upset you 3 weeks ago, we should have discussed it then, we are now talking about…” whatever the issue was.  It would make me so mad!  Haha!! But now looking back I realize once again he was right.  Deal with issues as they come up, no matter how trivial you think it may be,  I assure you it will build up inside of you and eventually explode into something that should have been nothing.  If you are on the receiving end of someone telling you that they are upset with you, do not belittle or make light of their feelings.   Everyone should have someone they love validate feelings.  It may not be something that would upset you, but it did affect them.  That makes it worth dealing with. 

Adam and I very rarely fought or argued.  If we did it was over quickly for the most part.  Did we disagree, did we argue, yes.  However, I learned very early in our marriage that fighting with Adam was pointless.  He was always so rational and logical, and I was always emotional and maybe a bit irrational!  (Yes, I admit it) But he also followed some very specific guidelines that come directly from God…

James 1:19 “…You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry.”

 I am still working on this.  I love that he not only did this with me, but also with my children.  He was such a wonderful husband, father, son, and friend.  Learn lessons from those that go before us.  They are always on to something good.