“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34
On my birthday, I discovered that my husband was cheating on me. I was looking through his phone and saw intimate messages with another woman. This devastated me as I never suspected there was anything wrong with our 16-year marriage.
When I confronted my husband, he apologised and promised to cut contact with the woman. But I didn’t accept it and went to fortune tellers for advice. I then filed for divorce but held off for the sake of our three children.
Over the next two years my husband tried his best to win me back. But nothing could erase the betrayal and hurt. One day, a friend took him to church and he began to be a more attentive husband and father. Although I saw the changes, I refused to respond or acknowledge it. Every morning, I would burn incense on the altar and curse him.
A year later, a relative invited us to attend an Alpha course. I was reluctant at first but went anyway. At the first meeting, a famous doctor testified about how his bad temper changed after knowing Jesus. I was intrigued by his story and stayed on until the seventh meeting, when a group leader offered to pray for me.
That’s when I broke down and told her about my broken marriage. Another member gave me a booklet, and it told the story of a pastor who refused to shake hands with her father’s murderer in prison. However, the Holy Spirit rebuked her and prompted her to forgive the murderer.
I knew at that moment that God was asking me to forgive my husband. So that night, I held my husband’s hand tightly and apologised to him. There was joy on his face and I felt a huge weight lift off me. For the first time in two years, I slept well. God had set me free from the chains of anger, hatred and bitterness.
1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God had forgiven my sins, so I ought to forgive others. He saved our marriage and taught us to establish a faithful covenant love. Marriage requires efforts from both parties, and I’m learning to respect my husband as the head of the family all over again.
How can you become more forgiving? Who in your family do you need to forgive?
Jesus didn’t just tell us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-48); He modeled extreme forgiveness at the cross. Christ was beaten, mocked, and crucified for our sake even “while we were still his enemies” (Romans 5:10). But instead of pronouncing curses over His tormentors Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
While there’s no excuse for anyone to mistreat someone else, let’s ask God for the grace to release any anger or bitterness we may be feeling. Jesus wants us to live in a healthy relationship with Him and with others. Let’s forgive as we’ve been forgiven by God (Matthew 6:12)—walking in love and following Christ’s example.
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