'But, You Hurt Me'

Matthew 5:44 ~    ' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you'

How hard is this? Really? Let's be honest.  Love our enemies? Pray for the ones that hurt you...intentionally or unintentionally? After all, we're human, right?  Isn't it ok for us to have our feelings hurt?  It's not our fault that others treat us badly. After being hurt badly by someone, especially someone you love and care about, it will be a struggle for us to abide by the above scripture.  But, we must. 

As humans, we're going to get hurt or offended, that is just a fact of life.  When looking closer to the Word, you will see that this is to be expected.  It's so important for us, as Christians, to know how to deal with this when it happens....and, it will happen. You are going to get hurt...someone is going to offend you.  I think the hardest part of being hurt, is when it's by someone you love.  That hurt or offense cuts so much deeper than if it's done by someone with whom you're not close. 

(Psalm 55:12-14) ~ For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:   But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance . We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

Oh, the pain that comes with being hurt by someone close!  But, we must be so careful not to allow this pain to take control.  It's the plan of the enemy to tear us apart...families, churches, friendships and on and on the list can go.  We must keep our eyes open at all times and see that the enemy, Satan, is working non-stop to destroy us and we must never allow that to happen. 

Follow the instructions in the above scripture, Matthew 5:44, and allow God to take care of every hurtful situation.  When we do this, we're taking away any power that Satan had or has over us. The enemy wants for us bitterness, troubled hearts, seperation from God, and anger.  All of these will cause much grief.

So remember the following:

·  Don’t curse the situation or the person or persons who caused it. (Job 2:9-10)

·  Don’t nurse a grudge. A grudge can sneak upon you and rob you of happiness.

·  Don’t rehearse it. Don't keep playing out the situation over & over again. This causes resentment.

·  Disperse it. It's time to forgive and let it go. Let God have the situation. Lay it at the cross.

We must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends us.  Remember, the Lord forgave us, so we must forgive others.

(Colossians 3:12-13) ~ 'Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.'

I know that I desire a closer walk with God.  It's a walk that I take daily.  One thing that I have to do to have a deeper relationship with God, is to forgive those that hurt me. No, it's not always easy to do, but, to not forgive isn't an option....I must forgive to be forgiven by Him!

Blessings 'Fountain of Life' friends!

Stacey Coppinger-McBee