Main text: Eph.4:31&32

Memory:
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.(Eph.4:32)

If you desire a healthy home, there are certain traits you should ensure that you never cultivate in your relationship. If such traits are in you, they will
serve as obstacles to forgiveness. Some of these are discussed below.
Pride.
The presence of pride in your life may make it difficult for you to forgive your spouse. Pride makes you to either have an exaggerated view of yourself or an underestimated view of your spouse and that generally leads to several problems that may serve as roadblocks to
forgiveness. One of the major problems caused by pride is inability to
apologize. Your acknowledgement of fault and the ability to apologize
to your spouse go a long way towards opening the way for
forgiveness.
External Advice.
There are always many unsolicited counselors who often serve as roadblocks to forgiveness in the home. Under normal circumstances, most problems can be sorted out between spouses. You and your spouse understand the situation and circumstances surrounding most
things happening in your home more than anyone, including
members of your extended family. A lot of homes have been shipwrecked because of wrong counsel from outsiders who appeared
to be sympathizing with them. God’s plan for couples is that any other person, is an outsider.(Matt.19:5)
Often, you may become so
rigid on issues because of the external counsels you have received.
Rigidity makes it difficult to shift ground and reach a compromise
when the need arises.
Lack of Communication.
Once communication breaks down in the home, any small problem
becomes a great one. Some of the measures that improve
communication in the home include doing things in common, sleeping on the same bed, eating and bathing together and having common
hobbies that will make you to be dependent on each other. Once you are dependent on each other, you will discover that you will not be able to keep malice or do without each other for a considerable length
of time.

Lack of depth in the Word of God.
It may be a great obstacle to forgiveness if you lack depth in the word of God or you deliberately disobey the truth you already know. If you
are a child of God and you study the life of Jesus, you should not really find it difficult to forgive your spouse or anyone else when offended. (Lk.23:24;Rom.5:8)

The life of Jesus was a perfect example for us on the subject of forgiveness. When you lack the knowledge of his perspectives on it or you find it difficult to practice it, you may not forgive.

Discussion Points With Your Spouse
* What are the greatest obstacles to forgiveness in between you and your spouse?
* How may you remove those obstacles?

PRAYER
My father and my God, I receive grace to remove every obstacle that may be acting as barrier against forgiveness in my relationship with my spouse in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE
PRIDE MAKES YOU TO HAVE EITHER AN EXAGGERATED VIEW OF YOURSELF OR AN UNDERESTIMATED VIEW OF YOUR SPOUSE LEADING TO SEVERAL PROBLEMS THAT MAY SERVE AS ROADBLOCKS TO FORGIVENESS IN MARRIAGE. – Dr. Mike Oluniyi

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