Ok, so I'm behind

I'm a little behind on posting on the encouragement challenge. It's not that I haven't been doing it...just that I haven't been posting to my blog. Computers were down at work on Wednesday and Thursday...which put me behind and meant that what time I did spend on the computer since then has mainly been spent playing catch up. Now that the work is up to date, I thought I should try to bring the blog up to date as well.

Thursday was day 20 and the text said:

"And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

It's time for some heart examination. As you continue in this 30-day challenge, have you found any roots of bitterness that are contaminating your relationship with your husband? Do you understand that as long as you are unwilling to forgive your husband - by God's grace and in His power - you will not be able to encourage him? Your own resentment will keep getting in the way. Now is the time to deal with any unforgiving attitudes. Forgive him, even as God has forgiven you.

Is your husband a forgiving man? Does he keep short accounts of your problems? Express your thankfulness for such a man. Does your husband - rightly or wrongly - harbor grudges against you? Again, are there things you need to change, or do you need to ask for his forgiveness for an offense? Help your husband be more forgiving by quickly forgiving him for his mistakes.


I can honestly say that I hold no resentments in my heart of any kind toward my husband. I couldn't always say that...not because he actually gave me any reason to...just that I didn't always have realistic expectations of marriage. I made the mistake that, I believe, many wives make early in their marriages...expecting that their beloved is not only willing but actually able to completely fulfill them. This puts the husband in the impossible position of being expected to do God's job. No human can do that...and for that reason, such expectations set us up to be disappointed unreasonably. Thankfully, I have recognized these unreasonable expectations on my part and made an ongoing conscious effort to avoid them and to place my expectations for mental, emotional and spiritual fulfillment where they belonged in the first place...in the capable hands of my creator.

As for my husband's ability to forgive...I have seen him harbor resentments in the past about various things unrelated to me and/or our relationship...but I can truthfully say that whenever I sincerely have asked for his forgiveness I believe that it has been granted to me. I feel incredibly fortunate that he is understanding and accepting of my humanness.