Forgiveness is Golden...

Okay, so Chief and I are involved in this great Care Group and we all decided that this year we would do something a little "simpler" for our study. We decided we would get a Couples Devotional and come together every other week to discuss what we got from the devo and the discussion question. We chose the Devotional "Moments With You" by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. It's a 365 day devo, so we all agreed that once we got our books we would "begin" on October 1. Good plan.

So...Oct 1 is about forgiveness. Chief read the devo...it was good, but we really didn't have anything to forgive at that point, so we did as it said and looked at each other and said "I forgive you". Touching. Then, because HE read...I had to pray.

October 2. Last night. I pick up the book, open it up and low and behold, the devo is about FORGIVENESS! At first I said..."hey, you read the wrong devo last night!" Upon further inspection, no he didn't. Two nights about forgiveness. Further inspection showed that the next two nights were about forgiveness, too. I was not happy! I wanted something cool...something I could sink my teeth into! Whatever.

I read the devotion. We did discuss some things. It was good. THEN...because I read, he prayed. Okay...Chief can be very subtle in his discipline...although I don't feel it was "discipline" per se...just a gentle nudging from God through Chief. Part of his prayer:

"Lord, help us to not think of ourselves as too far above or too sophisticated that we cannot learn what you would have for us in these devotionals." Yes...exactly.

Ping. Ping. Ping.

I knew as soon as the words left his mouth and reached my ear, that it was God Himself telling me that, even though I thought I was beyond the "forgiveness thing", He wanted me to hear it again. I have lived through some excruciatingly difficult times in my life that required DEEP forms of forgiveness, from me and for me. Forgiveness that was years in the giving. And years in the asking. I didn't want to dredge up past things I had already laid down.

Maybe I have become too complacent...too sarcastic in my speech and in my thinking. I need to be reminded what it was like when I so desperately needed the forgiveness of my Heavenly Father. I know I need forgiveness everyday from God; but, I think I was taking that ability to go to Him every day and ask for forgiveness for my daily short comings for granted. I know it's always there...so I really do not have to think about it.

Chief and I came to the conclusion that we just do not need to ask for forgiveness for the tiny, petty little things that aggravate or annoy us about each other day by day. We understand one another. We deeply love one another. We know those irritations all too well, and we love each other any way. We had just felt that forgiveness is for the BIG things. Things that have never happened with us. We know how blessed we are. We know how far we have come. We are so NOT beyond the point that we see each other as perfect...we just know that the imperfections are what make us a balanced and loving couple.

Do we need forgiveness? Of course we do. We give and we ask. It's a rare and precious jewel that should not be taken for granted. I am glad I had the devotional and Chief to set me straight on how far I have yet to go! This is going to be a good year for our Care Group...I can feel it!