Hate is a very powerful emotion and it can destroy your life if it gets out of control. Life can be so hard with many heartaches, financial difficulties and disappointments that we can get caught up in the anger and bitterness of the events in our lives; things that are out of our control. Anger makes it hard to move forward in our lives because we are too busy looking back.
Several weeks ago I shared my heart with a dear friend about how it seemed that she was living in hate and bitterness and that it was poisoning her life and the lives of her children. This is no way to live the life that God intended for us to live. Forgiveness is essential to peace and true joy. I love her so much and I wanted to help her through her pain with some biblical advice. Although my advice was unsolicited, I felt that God was leading me to her.
Unfortunately, she did not respond kindly to what she said was “my judgmental attitude towards her”. She said that I could not possibly understand what she was going through since I have not walked in her shoes. She said I was pushing my beliefs and what I thought was right upon her and just because I thought it was right didn’t make it so.
I felt my heart breaking as I left her home. I humbled myself before her and swallowed my pride just so I could share my heart with her; someone I have loved for 30 years. She called pushy and judgmental. I had only the purest of motives as I bared my soul to her.
I thought since she was a Christian that she would be more accepting of the heartfelt, deep down, true concern that I felt for her and her children. After all we have been friends for ¾ of our lives. But, it felt as though I was talking with a stranger. I was wrong about her accepting my advice but that’s alright. Why? Because I was obedient to the Lord’s calling. I felt His tug on my heart for several weeks before I went to talk with her. I thought I had what I was going to say all worked out in my head but when I got there the Holy Spirit took over.
I know the Lord is working in her life and eventually she will come to the realization that what I said was not from me but from our Heavenly Father. Because He cares so deeply for her He sent me to share His love and concern for her and her children. I was the one rejected not God. His Word will never return void!!
Have you shared your heart with someone you love only to be scoffed at or rejected? Being obedient to the Lord can sometimes be difficult. It may even come at a price. Taking the risk of losing a cherished friendship, son, daughter, mother or father forever is difficult. You might even wonder if it is worth the risk. The only way to know for sure is to take it.
SCRIPTURE
For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. Philippians 2:13-16
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:9-12
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