When We Are Wounded

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14

When we are wounded, the natural inclination is to seek to wound in return, to retaliate. This is especially true if the person who hurt you is very close to you in some way. We want them to know how much they hurt us, and to feel some of the pain they inflicted on us. But as usual, when we start to feel these things, we find God calling us to a higher standard: “But I (Jesus) say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” (Matthew 5:44).  Again, when Peter asks, “How often should I forgive my brother -up to 7 times?” Jesus says, “Not seven, but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22). In other words, our forgiveness should be limitless. In this I do not mean that people don’t sometimes have issues with one another that need to be brought out in the open and dealt with, but the attitude should still be one of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Jesus conveyed that our relationship to our fellow man is of upmost importance. “So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)

He desires that our relationships be right with one another before he desires our offerings.  Jesus included relationship to others when the Pharisees asked him which was the greatest commandment.  “Love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-38)

Because we human beings are selfish and prideful, and our natural inclination is for revenge, these precepts are often some of the hardest to live by. BUT God, through the Holy Spirit, has given us the power to live lives worthy of his calling.  “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”  (2 Peter 1:3). We have everything we need in His word and by His example to forgive what seems impossible to forgive, and to live at peace with even those who have been our enemies.

Lord, may we be slow to anger and quick to forgive.  Create in us willing hearts to do what You want us to do, to go where You want us to go, and to be what you want us to be. Amen

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32.