Confession and Forgiveness

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. . . . Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:4, 7

I wish that I were a perfect husband: always kind, thoughtful, understanding, considerate, and loving. Unfortunately, I am not. None of us are. I am sometimes selfish, thoughtless, and cold. In short, I fail to live up to the biblical ideal for a Christian husband. Does that mean that my marriage is destined for failure? Not if I am willing to admit my failures and if my wife is willing to forgive.

Forgiveness does not mean simply overlooking or ignoring the other person’s failures. God’s forgiveness should be our model. God forgives us based on what Christ did for us on the cross. God does not overlook sin, and God does not forgive everyone indiscriminately. God forgives when we confess our sin and express our need for forgiveness. Psalm 51, written by King David after his sin with Bathsheba, is a helpful model of true remorse for wrongdoing. David admitted his guilt, acknowledged God’s justice, and asked for God’s purifying forgiveness. And God gave it to him.

Genuine confession always precedes true forgiveness. So in order to have a growing marriage, I must confess my failures to my wife, and she must forgive me.

PRAYER
Father, it is often hard to confess my sins to my spouse. And it can be just as hard to forgive my spouse after I’ve been wronged. Please soften our hearts toward each other. Help us to forgive each other as you forgive us.