FORGIVE AND LOVE -
JUST LIKE GOD
As parents, we love our children unconditionally. They may do wrong things, small or at times big, but we continue to love them. Some children lie, others steal and some have behavioral problems. We hurt, as parents, to see our own children commit sin. Some of us may have more serious issues like unwanted pregnancy, teenage attitude problems, addictions to alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc. But we do not hold a grudge against them. Then why against our spouses? We forgive our children instantly, then why not our spouses? We do everything possible to free our children and solve their problems so they continue to lead a good life. We are hurt when we first find out about this. But we do not break our relations with our children because finally they are our own, our very own children, whom we gave birth to, loved and cared for so much and did our best to grow them as proper, responsible, loving and caring grownups. We speak to them, offer assistance and do whatever we can to help them. Some issues take a little while, whereas some others take longer and yet others even more time. But we are with our children throughout the journey irrespective of the time taken to ensure that we help them get through it.
If we as humans, love our children so much, can we even imagine the divine and agape love God has for each of His children? His love is beyond our understanding and imagination. He hurts when He sees His children forsake Him and follow the worldly ways, living a life of sin and lies, as if He does not exist and there are no consequences to sin. But He loves His children and is with each one of them all the time, waiting for the knock on the door for Him to open it, waiting for His child to call out to Him for help. And when we do, He helps us step by step to cleanse ourselves and free ourselves from the web of sin that we are entangled in.
May I challenge you every day to never stop loving your spouse unconditionally. Is this not how our Lord loves us, you and me, every day even when we fail to obey His instructions or commands? Our Lord is always beside us trying to get our attention if we start to go on a detour road or stop talking to Him or reading His Word daily. He is calling our names, wanting us to have that personal relationship with Him every day.
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13
We need to see our spouses from God’s eyes. We need to love our spouses in the same way, unconditionally, forgiving them of all their sins daily just like we do for our children and our Lord for us.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Matthew 18:21-22
Remember that if you do not forgive your spouse, your children, or the OW or anyone who has taken their side, God will not forgive you for your sins.
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:12-15
You can hate what your spouse is doing but don’t hate them.
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:9-1
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
In fact love them even more because they do not know what they are doing. Love them deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins. Love like 1 Corinthians 13:4-8:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
There will come a time in your stand where you will feel your love for your prodigal spouse to be divine love, not human love. You will ask yourself, “How can I love my spouse so much? After they have done all this?†You will realize a different kind of love flowing from your heart to your spouse. This is God’s love for your spouse flowing from God's to your heart. Wait for this moment. God will lead you to this, step by step. But wait for Him to do it in His timing. Until then, continue to pray to the Holy Spirit to pour unconditional love and forgiveness for your spouse in your heart. And continue to love them just as you love your children. Remember, they too are God’s children and God loves all His children and wants them to come to repentance, home to Him and to you and your family. Love and forgive - just as God does for each one of us.
Standing firmly in love,
Rakhi in India
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
JUST LIKE GOD
As parents, we love our children unconditionally. They may do wrong things, small or at times big, but we continue to love them. Some children lie, others steal and some have behavioral problems. We hurt, as parents, to see our own children commit sin. Some of us may have more serious issues like unwanted pregnancy, teenage attitude problems, addictions to alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc. But we do not hold a grudge against them. Then why against our spouses? We forgive our children instantly, then why not our spouses? We do everything possible to free our children and solve their problems so they continue to lead a good life. We are hurt when we first find out about this. But we do not break our relations with our children because finally they are our own, our very own children, whom we gave birth to, loved and cared for so much and did our best to grow them as proper, responsible, loving and caring grownups. We speak to them, offer assistance and do whatever we can to help them. Some issues take a little while, whereas some others take longer and yet others even more time. But we are with our children throughout the journey irrespective of the time taken to ensure that we help them get through it.
If we as humans, love our children so much, can we even imagine the divine and agape love God has for each of His children? His love is beyond our understanding and imagination. He hurts when He sees His children forsake Him and follow the worldly ways, living a life of sin and lies, as if He does not exist and there are no consequences to sin. But He loves His children and is with each one of them all the time, waiting for the knock on the door for Him to open it, waiting for His child to call out to Him for help. And when we do, He helps us step by step to cleanse ourselves and free ourselves from the web of sin that we are entangled in.
May I challenge you every day to never stop loving your spouse unconditionally. Is this not how our Lord loves us, you and me, every day even when we fail to obey His instructions or commands? Our Lord is always beside us trying to get our attention if we start to go on a detour road or stop talking to Him or reading His Word daily. He is calling our names, wanting us to have that personal relationship with Him every day.
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13
We need to see our spouses from God’s eyes. We need to love our spouses in the same way, unconditionally, forgiving them of all their sins daily just like we do for our children and our Lord for us.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Matthew 18:21-22
Remember that if you do not forgive your spouse, your children, or the OW or anyone who has taken their side, God will not forgive you for your sins.
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:12-15
You can hate what your spouse is doing but don’t hate them.
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:9-1
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
In fact love them even more because they do not know what they are doing. Love them deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins. Love like 1 Corinthians 13:4-8:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
There will come a time in your stand where you will feel your love for your prodigal spouse to be divine love, not human love. You will ask yourself, “How can I love my spouse so much? After they have done all this?†You will realize a different kind of love flowing from your heart to your spouse. This is God’s love for your spouse flowing from God's to your heart. Wait for this moment. God will lead you to this, step by step. But wait for Him to do it in His timing. Until then, continue to pray to the Holy Spirit to pour unconditional love and forgiveness for your spouse in your heart. And continue to love them just as you love your children. Remember, they too are God’s children and God loves all His children and wants them to come to repentance, home to Him and to you and your family. Love and forgive - just as God does for each one of us.
Standing firmly in love,
Rakhi in India
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
