One of the hardest things we can do in our marriage is get past the hurt that our spouse may have caused. Something big, something little - it can be tough. On top of that, what happens if an outside source harms us or our spouse? What should our first response be? Should we ignore our "human nature" to retaliate, and how many times should we give someone a "pass"? Let's talk about the depths of forgiveness!

Verses:

Genesis 37:18-20, 26-28

Genesis 41:51-52

Romans 12:19-21

Genesis 42:7-9, 27-28

Matthew 18:21-22

Genesis 45:1-8

Reference:

Colossians 3:13

2 Corinthians 5:18

Discussion Questions:

Icebreaker (optional): Without cheating, give us your spouse's go-to coffee order (assuming you’re at a common place they would order it) and if not coffee, what?

Questions:

1. Do you and your spouse have a time where you ask for forgiveness from each other, let alone God? If so, share some of that “schedule” and how you approach this with your group.

2. Read Matthew 5:43-48. Pay attention to and discuss among your group the comparisons being made here, and ask yourself what is Jesus pointing out? What is Jesus saying to us about different people (especially in verse 46, 47)?

3. Share a time when you didn’t offer forgiveness. What were some of the main reasons why you did not, if it was within your control?

4. Matthew 18:21-35 is the Parable of The Unforgiving Servant that Jesus offers to answer how many times we should forgive and why it’s important to do so. What is the major warning that we should take notice of at the end of that passage, in verses 34 and 35? (Optional: read the whole passage or offer a summary to your group).

5. Asking Jesus into our hearts means He will always forgive us when we ask for it, no matter what we have done. Discuss with the group how hard forgiving is for us to do, and perhaps share some personal examples as to what you feel are some of the harder things to forgive?