Forgiveness - one of the keys to a healthy marriage
By Kate
Learning to forgive
Parents have a great responsibility to model forgiveness to their children. We have made a point of saying sorry and asking for forgiveness when we’ve hurt our children, as parents sometimes do. It has increased rather than decreased their respect for us. Similarly we have insisted on them learning to ask forgiveness from us and each other, and made a point of saying we forgive them. It’s also been important to let the mistake go and not dig it up next time it happens or use it as ammunition in a disagreement. We may still remember the past mistake, but it musn’t be allowed to influence us or be spoken of.
This is how we can forgive in marriage too. If we can we must try and forget past hurts or at least only allow them as neutral memories, which don’t influence us. When we have been through the humiliation of having to admit a mistake or hurtful action and ask forgiveness then we are often more willing to do the same to others, because we know how hard it is and what a release it is to be forgiven and restored.
