There is one, and only one, reason relationships fail. Husband and wife… parents with children… siblings… work… family… church, it doesn’t matter what the relationship is, there is only ONE reason they fail and end. Here it is…
One or both parties are unwilling to FORGIVE.
“Yeah, but you don’t know…” “Sure, easier said than done…” “I’ll forgive but I won’t forget!” “It wasn’t my fault… but they did ________ !”
I know all your objections and arguments… I’ve used them myself, and they are all lame because of what is written… (I think we should take seriously what the Lord says!):
Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. (Mt 18:21-22)
Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” (Lk 17:3-4)
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph 4:32)
Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Pet 3:9)
If a relationship has failed, bottom line, either you… the other person… or BOTH of you have been unwilling to forgive. You can’t make the anyone else do anything, BUT you can do what is right as a believer in Christ.
Just a thought…