Q: One of my children is still angry about something that happened at church a long time ago. I tell him we have to forgive and that it was a long time ago. It doesn’t help.
A: We can often forgive quickly, but it takes a lot longer to forget when we’ve been hurt. Ask your child what purpose or good it does to carry around a grudge. The truth is, the one being punished is not the offender but the offended. If Christ could forgive all our mistakes, shortcomings, and sins, shouldn’t we be willing to do the same for others? I would encourage your child to read (and commit to memory) Ephesians 4:32. In addition, pray for and with your child for God to release them from the burden, anger, and hard feelings.
Q: My wife and I disagree over something at church. It’s beginning to affect our marriage. Has that ever happened to you?
A: Every married couple has times of disagreement. However, when it involves something in the church there is only one solution: resolve it! I suggest that you ask an older couple in the church to spend time with you to talk through the issue. Listen to their advice, trust them to pray over your situation, and let them tell you how they have resolved their own past disagreements.
With your wife, be willing to live with any compromise that needs to be made in order to strengthen your marriage. Read the Bible together and spend time praying for each other, and you might just see the disagreement disappear.
Pat Pajak is IBSA’s associate executive director for evangelism. Send questions for Pat to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.