Love Dare Day 25

~~Day 25~ Love Always Forgives~~

What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ. —2 Corinthians 2: 10

This one is tough— perhaps the toughest dare in the book. But if there is to be any hope for your marriage, this is a challenge that must absolutely be taken seriously. Counselors and ministers who deal with broken couples will tell you that this is the most complex problem of all. It cannot just be considered and contemplated but must be deliberately resolved. Forgiveness has to happen, or a successful marriage won’t. 

But forgiveness doesn’t absolve anyone of blame or clear their record with God. It just clears you of having to worry about how to punish them. When you forgive another person , you’re not declaring them innocent. You’re just turning them over to God, who can be counted on to deal with them His way.

But how do you do it? You release your anger and the responsibility for judging and punishing this person to the Lord.

How do you know you’ve done it? You know it when the thought of their name or the sight of their face, rather than causing your blood to boil, causes you to feel sorry for them instead, to genuinely hope they get this turned around.

So when it’s all said and done, the romance, intimacy, and enjoyment of your marriage is greatly dependent upon your mutual commitment to allow no unforgiveness to exist between the two of you. Great marriages are not produced by people who never hurt each other, only by people who daily choose to keep “no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13: 5).

TODAY'S DARE Whatever you haven’t forgiven in your mate, forgive it today. Let it go. Just as we ask Jesus to “forgive us our debts” each day, we must ask Him to help us “forgive our debtors” each day as well. Unforgiveness has been keeping you and your spouse in prison too long. Say from your heart, I choose to forgive.”

What did you forgive your spouse for today?

How long have you been carrying the weight of it?

What are the possibilities now that you’ve released this matter to God?