What do you do? In His Word 8-4-15

What do you do? In His Word 8-4-15

What do you do when someone harms you, whether by physical or emotional pain? Do you lash out and retaliate or do you do as Jesus says to do, in His Word?

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! Matthew 18:21-22

My God tells me to forgive, though I do not see forget it, just to forgive the infraction. After all some things people do against us are unforgettable, other things are as easily forgotten with a shake of the sand off our feet.

When something horrible happens in your life it stands out as if someone had branded it onto your skin, the pain is often severe and long lasting. Though we can forgive people in word, the deed us often something we need to pray and ask God to help us with.  Sometimes we cry out why it happened, sometimes we cry out to God to stop the person from harming anyone else; and sometimes we just want to forgive and forget the whole thing.

When someone wrongs us we need to move on in our lives and walk as Jesus would walk but it is not always easy to do. That is when we must ask ourselves and our God what Jesus would have us do in this situation. He will tell us; we need but ask.

 “This is what the Lord says—the Lord who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the Lord: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. Jeremiah 33:2-3 NLT

Sometimes the Lord gives us directions we do not want to hear. If we love the person who has harmed us it may be hard to get away from them, even if its for a time to ‘cool off’, but usually that is the best thing to do. Take a break! David was told to run when Saul, his king and the man who was a second father to him as well as his father in law, tried to kill him.  Yet David forgave him asked that no harm would come to the king of his men because he saw King Saul as God’s anointed still.  And so he followed the direction of the Lord God trusting Him for protection, continually forgiving the king and promising his family would always have a place in his kingdom.

I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me,
  “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! The wicked are stringing their bows
    and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows
    at those whose hearts are right. The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
    What can the righteous do?“  Psalm 11:1-3

Still, even David wondered how a righteous man could suffer so while the unrighteous were running free.

Often times we have to run to God for safety while we wait the timely demise of those who have harmed us. We forgive them then wait on the Lord and trust Him to take care of the problem. It is not for us to fix other peoples problems but for Him to deal with while we work on our own.  Our job is to lift them up to God in the first place that He may take control and work on the soul of the one who harmed us.

Time and time again we read about David trying to reconcile with King Saul, but it just did not happen. Even his best friend Jonathon died before David could have safety. Sometimes even our best friends have to suffer in order for God to deal with a situation that is out of control.

This makes me think of Joshua’s words, “choose you this day whom you will serve”. It all comes down to will we fight our own battles in life or will we allow the Holy Spirit to intervene and assist in the battle? If Saul had looked to God for direction in the first place the king would not have lost his throne and died in battle by his own hand. If the man Saul had sought the Lord for direction many Christ followers would have lived to reach countless more people. Only God knows the outcome and how many people came to know Him because of other people’s deaths at the hand of unbelievers.

He said to ask Him and He would show us great and unsearchable things.

Don’t be afraid to ask!

When you read the Bible this week ask Him to show you things you have not noticed before as you read. As Him to reveal truth to you that you may have glossed over and to show you how you can use it in your life to further His kingdom.  Then ask Him to help you forgive those who have injured your heart. He can show you how to do so, He can give you direction in your life, just ask.

Dear Heavenly Father, Help us to not be afraid, or ashamed to ask you to show us things we do not know. Amaze us this week with growth, with guidance and with forgiveness in our hearts that we never thought we could feel. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Suggested reading: Psalm 11:1-7, Matthew 18:1-35 and Hebrews 9:1-28