Dear friends, the summation of love’s attitude has nothing to do with feelings, but everything to do with forgiveness. When we forgive, we are modeling exactly what our heavenly Father does: “O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help” (Ps. 86:5). Examine yourself. Are you allowing the devil to have his way in your home? Is unforgiveness in your heart stifling love’s attributes, hindering love’s allure, and quenching love’s attitude? It doesn’t have to be that way.
Hebrews 12:14–15 gives us the solution: “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Think about it. What do you love most about God? Yes, I know His omnipresence is awe inspiring. His omniscience, the fact that He knows everything, overwhelms me. And His magnificent omnipotence, His absolute and ultimate power and authority, forces me to my knees in adoration. But above all that, He is a God who loves. Before I ever loved Him, He loved me (again, 1 John 4:19), and because of that love, He was willing to forgive my sins through His Son Jesus Christ before I ever acknowledged that I wanted forgiveness.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, forgiveness is the ultimate attitude of love— whether it is God’s love or human love we are talking about. What would God’s love mean to us if it did not come with forgiveness so total and complete that it is as though we had never sinned? No, God’s love is not partial, but full. It covers the multitude of human wrongs and joyously proclaims, “It is finished!” The debt is paid, and we are free to walk in God’s love and forgiveness—and to extend it to others.
How can we experience the fullness of marriage without the ultimate power of love’s forgiveness? I tell you, it is not possible. Husbands and wives, be the first in your marriage to be kind, patient, and long-suffering. Be the first to bear all things, to endure all things—even when you think your spouse doesn’t deserve it. Be the first to love.
Romans 5:8 says, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” While we were still sinners . . . Our being deserving had nothing to do with Christ demonstrating His love for us, and it has nothing to do with demonstrating love in our marriages either. We are called to be like our Savior, and that means making the first move, loving unconditionally, forgiving without strings attached.
Excerpt from “Happily… Even After” now available on Amazon.
