Love Lets It Go

[Love Lets It Go](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) Current Teaching Series [40 Days of Love](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) [Listen to Today's Broadcast](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) [Love Lets It Go](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) By Rick Warren — February 20, 2020 [Facebook](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) [Twitter](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) [Pinterest](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) [Email](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) [Devotional image from Rick Warren](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13 NLT). The longer you know someone, the easier it is to become critical. As time goes on, you’re more likely to become less gracious and to take others for granted. Showing grace is an ongoing practice. It’s easy to show grace once. But over time, those little annoyances seem to add up, your patience starts to wane, and it’s easier to respond to hurt with hurt. To experience a love that lasts, choose to be merciful. No relationship—marriage or otherwise—is going to last without forgiveness, acceptance, patience, and a lot of grace. You get a hundred opportunities each day to extend grace to the people you love. I want to focus on two specific times when it may be a particular challenge, but you’ll need to do it anyway: When their flaws and faults irritate you. The longer you love somebody, the more you know their flaws. You can choose to either be critical or gracious. You can be picky, or you can be kind. You can be a perfectionist, or you can show mercy. Proverbs 17:9 says, “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends” (NLT). When their words or actions hurt you. You can’t hold on to anger over a hurt. You can’t stockpile every hurt for ammunition. The Bible says in Colossians 3:13, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT). You can choose to hold on to a hurt, or you can choose forgiveness. Only one option is healthy, and only one will give you freedom to move forward in love. Showing grace goes against our nature to fight back, harbor a hurt, and have the last word. But we don’t have to rely on our own strength. Trust that as a follower of Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit working in you to help you choose the things God loves: mercy, compassion, and grace. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) Talk About It - How have you seen forgiveness heal a relationship? Why is forgiveness so powerful? - Think of one of your closest relationships. How does the other person react when you nag? How does that person react when you are gracious about their flaws or quirks? - Is there a hurt you are holding on to? What is one thing you can do to choose forgiveness today? 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This resource for your personal bible study or small group will help you discover . . . • Why learning to love God and others is our highest goal • How to love authentically—like Jesus • The power of resting in forgiveness and forgiving others [LEARN MORE](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) Includes 6 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series 40 Days of Love. [LEARN MORE](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r [Series Summary](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) Message 1: It's All About Love Message 2: Love Matters Most Message 3: Loving Like Jesus Loves Me Message 4: Love Lets It Go Message 5: Love is Not Easily Angered Message 6: The Secrets of Lasting Love [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r)[Twitter](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) [Instagram](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) [Linkedin](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r) is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book The Purpose Driven Church was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded The PEACE Plan to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. You can listen to Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope, his daily 25-minute audio teaching, and sign up for his free daily devotionals at [PastorRick.com](JMFZ4Lb8N:m:1:2618166767:C49AC0B9B446B2FF4FEC6C1F0D5C3DBC:r). © 2020 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. This message was intended for: {EMAIL} You were added to the system December 23, 2016. For more information [click here](. [Unsubscribe](