“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”
One of the greatest challenges to a marriage is the power of a strong memory. In this verse the term “repeats a matter” refers to those people that bring up the same offense over and over. After confession and forgiveness it is critical in a relationship to figure out how to let it go. Too often in marriage counseling I hear stories about wrongs suffered by one spouse or the other years ago that are brought up over and over again. It is used as a justification for distance and anger in the relationship and continues to be used to beat down the other person. One of the best ways to overcome the temptation to hang onto old offenses is to remember what we have been forgiven of. Perhaps not by the person needing our forgiveness but certainly by God. Someone died to forgive those sins and offenses. Thankfully you don’t need to go that far. We just need to love. Love keeps no record of wrongs suffered according to Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. Bringing up offenses is not loving and never brings closeness yet forgiving and forgetting is a powerful gift of love. Today, as the song says, let it go. #BeTheEdge
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 NIV