"When to Know that Forgiveness is Called For"

Unfortunately we all know that many marriages do not last a life time. One of the things that help heal a marriage and keep it together is in the ability to forgive one another. All couples need to learn to recognize when a situation calls for forgiveness and perhaps even more importantly when it requires forbearance.

Forgiveness is about making a choice to see a situation not through the eyes of anger but through the eyes of understanding. It is choosing to let go of our anger and hopefully see the situation in a different way. When we have the willingness to forgive and truly want it in our hearts very often a shift occurs and we experience something out of the ordinary which people sometimes call grace. Once we experience this it becomes natural to extend it to others.

Forbearance is different. With forbearance we demonstrate patience and tolerance. The people closest to us usual do not want to cause us deliberate pain. This is where forbearance can go a long way.If we can practice this we will become more compassionate and kind which can only serve the marriage in a positive way. One more piece of advice, if we practice 5 kindnesses a day to one another it will have a lasting effect on our relationships of all kinds.