‘He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.’ Psalms 103:7-14(NLT)
‘“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”’ Luke 6:37-38(NLT)
Today’s passage from Luke is a very famous passage when we talk about money, but one of the many great things about the Bible is that it has subtle applications outside of what you see on the surface.
Have you ever needed forgiveness in the past? Do you need forgiveness now, in the present? Will you ever need forgiveness in the future? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then the creative key to receiving that forgiveness is to start giving it away.
This isn’t often easy. Hurt and pain are real, and when you feel them, it’s worth paying attention to those feelings and honoring them. But it’s also true that you won’t move past them until you forgive. And then you can deal with the consequences of the behavior that hurt you—or the way you hurt your spouse.
What are some creative ways you can extend forgiveness to your spouse today?
from 7 Days To Open Up Your Life