Recently I’ve had a few people tell that if I’ve forgiven my ex-husband I should be in a better place. From what I’ve heard I shouldn’t be angry at him again. The only problem with this idea is that I gotta deal with the man and he’s difficult so that’s gonna be real hard.
It isn’t so much how he treats me—honestly, whatever. But I do have a hard time with how he treats my kids. So, being human, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna have to forgive him repeatedly and sometimes I’m gonna even get angry before I forgive.
I think there is this thought that once you forgive you forget and live happily ever after. I wish that were the case. It’s really more like this:
Forgive… move forward… something unpleasant happens… forgive again… move forward again… something difficult happens… forgive again… repeat until heaven…
I think if you are to a place that you don’t have to repeatedly forgive an unrepentant person for their continued rotten actions—you rock! And I mean that! And I do truly wish I could be like you.
But I’m finding forgiveness to be a rather long and arduous process. But God in his infinite wisdom, grace, love and faithfulness has some instructions and some encouragement for me (and you if you are like me).
I guess the first thing is this…