Let us remind ourselves that every fellowship, whether big or small, is made up of imperfect people; therefore, conflict is inevitable. Hurt will soon follow. The issue is how do you handle the hurts? How will you handle these inevitable conflicts that will erupt when they are least expected, as the growth groups grow and mature together? How you handle these conflicts will determine whether the growth groups will split up or stay together. How do you handle the life situations and conflicts of life? Give mercy!
Colossians 3:13 | Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
The motivation for mercy is God’s mercy over you and me. If you are a follower of Jesus, you HAVE to show mercy to people when they ask for forgiveness.
“I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. ~ Psalm 116:1-2 [NIV]
You are not called to trust them. In fact, it’ll take some time for the Holy Spirit to work in your life to trust someone who betrayed you; but trust and forgiveness are two different matters. Forgiveness must be immediate. Trust is built over a long period of time. When someone hurts you, they have repeatedly hurt you, you are commanded to forgive them instantly. But you are not commanded to trust them instantly. So you forgive them and then they must earn trust, that will take time, sometimes a very long time!
Colossians 3:12 | Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Just as God has commanded us to clothe in humility, again He shares with us to clothe ourselves “with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience!” Clothing is personal, close to us, and it covers us where ever we go. Characteristics mentioned in Colossians 3:12 must be present with us at all times through the power of the Holy Spirit. When you’ve been hurt deeply, you’ve got a choice. You can use your energy to get back at him, or you can use energy to reconcile. Here is the reality of forgiveness: You will never be asked to forgive anyone more than God has forgiven you! And every relationship and growth group requires overflow of forgiveness. There is no such thing as over dosing when it comes to forgiveness!
As disciples of Jesus, we are called to forgive people even before they ask. Why? Because we follow Jesus, who is love! And 1 Corinthians 13 says that love does not keep arecord of being wronged... “love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through EVERY circumstances!” [emphasis added]
How are you doing on mercy? How is your growth group showing mercy? How are you doing in the area of forgiveness? And here’s a personal question: who do I need to forgive? There is no genuine fellowship in marriage, in a family, in a growth group, in a church - no genuine fellowship is possible without forgiveness because you are going to be hurt and you are going to hurt someone! Disciple Church, may we become a merciful church, for without it, Christ-Centered deep relationships will elude us... But with mercy, as many of you already are experiencing, you and I will continue to journey together in meaningful and significant Christ Centered relationships as a family of God! Blessings!
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