Forgiving can be difficult, even if it’s your own family members that hurt you. So, how do you forgive your partner’s family members, whether it’s your mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, etc.? It’s difficult to balance your love for your spouse with the cruelty their family member has shown you.

Lean On Your Partner

For many of us, it’s hard to get over the initial pain of being rejected or blamed by their in-laws. In fact, it often takes root unless we ourselves pull it out. However, one of the blessings of marrying a good, noble and honest partner, is that they’ll help you through it. You don’t have to do it alone. Your spouse will help relieve your pain, even if it was caused by their own family.

In addition, you can lean on your partner to help resolve the problem at hand. But rather than act as a mediator, be sure that you both represent a united front. The goal is forgiveness, but your spouse should be clear with his or her family that they are on your side, always and forever.

Find Forgiveness

Please remember that your spouse’s family members are human too, and forgiveness is something God tells us to do out of love. He tells us to forgive so that we may be the light and truth and example of what being His children are, so turn the other cheek. “Show love, now, beloved,” He’ll whisper. “Don’t forget how I have forgiven you, my child,” He’ll say.

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”  —Matthew 6:14-15

Not only is our Father telling us to forgive, but imagine the sister of your fiancé or the brother in sorrow over what they have done, especially feeling remorse that everyone isn’t happy with them. Look at what God tells us to do.

Restore Peace

“But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—in order not to say too much—to all of you. Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.”  —2 Corinthians 2:5

Work toward the restoration of peace, even when it’s hard to so. Choose to obey and follow God’s will above your own feelings of pain. The rejoicing of truth and serenity begins there, because God enables us to do even more than we dare imagine or think we’re capable of. Forgiveness is one of those acts.

Forgive for the sake of glorifying your God, for the sake of restoring your family gatherings, for the sake of honoring your spouse. It’s a beautiful thing to pursue peace, but it’s even more so when you desire it for someone who’s hurt you.

You may also be interested in How To Heal A Broken Family