I used to have the theory that if Bill was brazen enough to wrong me then he needed to be brazen enough to ask for forgiveness.
There was no need for me to say “I’m Sorry!” I. Did. Nothing. Wrong. Sound familiar?
And yet, I was wrong!
My heart loved getting tangled in this crazy mess of “you are wrong and I am right.” My heart was playing tricks on me.
The more I felt Bill was wrong, the more I felt I was right. What I did not realize is this; the need to be right all the time was causing my heart to harden against Bill.
God gives us warning signs aimed to convict the heart.
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. Ephesians 4:18 ESV
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Hebrews 3:8 KJV
Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Matthew 13:14-15 ESV
Reading Gods word is so powerful that He is busy revealing the state of your heart to you right now.
Is your understanding darkened?
Have you heard God speak to you in a situation and you turned Him away?
Is your heart hardened to the very voice that died to set you free?
I learned a long time ago that my heart truly will play tricks on me. It will betray my soul fast. I had to get my emotions and heart under control and realize Bill was not the only one who was wrong.
There are even times I am the one who is wrong! I said it. I. Am. Wrong!
Reading Gods word does this for me.
His voice, shining truth into the darkness sin creates, breaks the hold sin has on us!
It’s time to change and allow Gods Word to break the hardened walls in our hearts. Our husbands are so worth it!
Praying for your marriage,
Cherie
Picture used via Pinterest
You are doing such good, important work here, Cherie. So much healing begins with those two words: “I’m sorry.”
Thank you, friend, for leading people down right paths.
Thank you, Jennifer, for stopping by.
I am “awe struck” that you are here. I know we put our jeans on the same way, but!! 🙂 Thank you for your encouragement. I so appreciate you. Blessings my sweet friend!
Good morning, Cherie~ What a powerful message first thing in the morning! I know I am so guilty of this! I often ignore God’s voice telling me to apologize and let my husband off the hook when he has done a “wrong” to me. But you don’t know what he did, is often my response, I deserve to be angry with him. Oh how wrong I am!! I am still learning that it is ok to be vulnerable enough to say I’m sorry and to really mean it. Oh, and those dreaded words, I forgive you! *sigh* So often I just want God to fix me right away! I know it’s a journey and I am such an impatient person!! I’ll get there!! Thanks for your message, have a blessed day!! 🙂
Ah, Toni! I love your statement, ” But you don’t know what he did!” The thing is, God does know what he did and is asking you to forgive anyway. This is unconditional love at the same level Jesus gave us on the cross. It is hard. Our heart wants to be taken care of at all cost. Even as big as this one. But we have to control our emotions and allow Gods voice to have His perfect place in our thoughts! You are amazing and wonderfully beautiful to God. He is lavishing His love over you. How do I know this? Because you are growing and your heart is leaning more and more to your husband and his needs. I just love watching you!! Blessings, sweetie!