Tonight I am reminded of a song. “He’s God on the mountain, and He’s still God in the valley.”I sit here writing with a bleeding heart. Now as you read please don’t be sad for me as it is working great things. Let me share…
Today I had a wonderful day with our family in a spontaneous trip to the beach but towards the end of the day I received some news that I did not expect to hear. I have been betrayed. Yes, a very close friend has broken my heart and in my flesh I just didn’t know what to do. So, what then if my carnal mind cannot even formulate a response? I must seek wisdom and ask my spirit man to tap into the mind of Christ.
How did Jesus respond to those who rejected, betrayed and hurt Him?
Love.
Love is the only response. Why? Because when I was not worthy of love, He first loved me. When I did not give love, He loved me most above all creation. When I was most unlovable and wrecked by sin Jesus forgave me of all past, present and future sin and accepted me in the beloved. Yes all my sin was in the future when He did this. Oh what a love!
The Lord has forgiven me so much, loved me so much, has been patient with me so much, how could I respond in any fit of flesh? I cannot. I will not. I choose nail my feelings to the cross and ask the Lord to flow His love through me like a well of life over this person. This brings Abba glory though some small suffering.
Holy Spirit has gripped me and taken my wounded heart and re-postured my being(heart, mind, spirit) towards this person who has hurt me so deeply by reminding of all Jesus has done for me. Lest’ I be captive in a prison of anger and bitterness.
It wasn’t always this way my friends. In times past if I was hurt I would end my nights with tears of hurt and anger and pray for Jesus to fix it. I never asked Him to help me respond correctly. But I watched David in the bible as He said “Create in me a clean heart, oh God. And renew a RIGHT spirit within me.” When I would think of this scripture (and not by circumstance, it was the Holy Spirit reminding me. I just didn’t know it was Him at the time), I would hear echoes in my mind of my earthly fathers voice saying “Son, even if they are wrong, you remain right. Right in your heart, and spirit.” Wisdom to live by.
I’ve learned in my short time here on earth that it’s not what happens to us that defines us, it’s how we respond. How we respond to most anything determines the level of growth in our own lives and our relationship with God. In this case, I can choose to be bitter or better. People are looking for you to be a testimony of Christ in the earth and looking for Him in your responses, especially to injustice, and sometimes even more when they cause the injustice. Let us followers of Jesus be decided in our hearts to respond like Jesus.
When men reject you, hurt you, betray you, abuse you, forget you, disrespect you… these are the sufferings of Christ. Do you want to know Jesus more? If you’ve experience any of those things therein is your opportunity to feel a little portion of what He felt.
Now that you understand what He felt, experience a greater portion of Abba by responding like He responded.
Respond like He did. You can’t do this on your own but it is a choice to die to yourself and come alive to the mind of Christ! Lay your feelings down on the cross and return love to those that hurt you, even forgive them for they know not what they do. Remember all He’s done for you and the clear response is very simple yet sometimes hard…. LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
If you are in a prison of anger, hurt, bitterness and pain over some injustice that has occurred in your life, I declare over you healing through forgiveness, growth through long suffering, peace through surrender and wholeness through love.
Let gratitude for all that He has done for you when you didn’t deserve it, empower your heart to ask the Love of the Lord to flow through you over your enemies and even loved ones who have hurt you.
I pray a special grace for this moment over you to become free from those prisons created by pain and enter into new depths of love by giving love, and a deep knowledge of who Jesus really is through partaking in His sufferings.
When you think “I cant let go of what they did”, remind yourself of what He’s done for you. Freely receive, freely give. Tough love…love when it’s tough.
Did this resound in your spirit?
In tears of joy, peace, and tough love, Thomas & Mandi + 5 Awesomely Tired from Swimming All Day Boys!
