As I approach 60 I am surprised at how much I am learning about myself. Mindsets that I have had most of my life are unraveling. I can only attribute this to God. And though it is not easy to change your mind, it can also be encouraging that He is doing something, growing me up toward the image of His Son. Its not without resistance that I change. I act kind of spoiled sometimes and can be headstrong. Been this way since I was little.
The love chapter in the Bible speaks of this. I Corinthians 13: 12 says:
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
As our Father God, He is committed to us and helping us grow up.
He takes us in where we are but He loves us too much to leave us that way.
Offended. That's the subject in the Ladies group at church that we are studying. As I sat and listened to the lesson, I at first find my self offended. ( lol ) When someone says or does something that hurts us, whether they mean to or not, we are often offended and naturally so.
But Jesus said - Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44
Romans 12:20 says - If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink.
Yeah, there's that. We nod in agreement when we hear those verses but do we do it?
Do we get offended often? We justify it and sometimes rightly so. But as I soften my heart and desire to obey what Jesus said, I have found Him giving me more understanding about situations that I could not see before. There's always, always more to the story. I am sometimes quick to judge a situation and become frustrated. But as I yield, breathe, He is showing me a better way. He is putting me through school in this right now because I am frequently finding myself tempted to be offended. Oh how my feelings want to rule the day as they have for so long. But my mind and my feelings don't know the whole story. If I choose to pray, trust, breathe, yield, He shows me things and then I find myself actually praying for the one who offended me. Hallelujah! Got to be God, that's not the old me.
Hear me, I am still in training. But I am soon to be 60 so I need to get on with the growing up.
I want to clarify something here briefly. It is good to stand for what is right and we should but we are going to have to do so in His power and in His strength, especially in the times we are living in.
Romans 12:19 says - Do not avenge yourselves, beloved; but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written: "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord."
Turn it over to God. Pray to Him. Acknowledge your pain. Let Him have it. Don't let the devil trip you up and steal your joy by getting offended over little things. (talking to myself)
Being a Christ follower takes perseverance and courage, all of which God Himself will supply.
Bottom line, God wants us free. Being loved by God and loving others is who He made us to be.