Comments on: Love like You’ve Never Been Hurt

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:54:17 +0000

Timbob, how wise is that advice – to step back to look at the bigger picture. We can easily get caught up in the details that cause us to lose perspective. It is a spiritual battle at its core and we have to fight with spiritual weapons. I’ll be praying for your family this week.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:50:16 +0000

Frank, you brought up an excellent point. Forgivenes doesn’t mean you fall back into the hands of someone that is destructive by any means. It is about responsiblity. It is about the heart and not holding onto an offense that blocks love. Sometimes the most loving thing can be having someone go through the consequences of their actions because then they truly learn. Then other times more mercy is required. It takes a following of the Holy Spirit and His wisdom, counsel and discernment. Thanks so much for sharing your comments. And great example about the wallet.

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:25:29 +0000

A good article. I agree with all you have said, particularly about our own hearts.
However there is another side which is so often avoided, that of actually taking responsibility for correctly dealing with the other side of the conflict.
To illustrate the point I include this recent article from the UK..

A teenager who raped a five-year-old boy days after being spared custody for a sex assault on another youngster has been locked up.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, attacked the child just eight days after escaping a custodial sentence for the rape of a seven-year-old boy, Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester was told.

Judge Smith heard the first victim’s family were committed Christians, had forgiven the boy and called for a “corrective” rather than punitive sentence

I am not giving a conclusion to this article, but if I was the parent of the second child, I would be mighty angry at the “christian” parents of the first child for their forgiving and protective attitude towards the rapist, which effectively set him free to repeat the offense.

Forgiveness which in the gospel context is largely about OUR heart condition should never lead us to abdicate our responsibility towards others or towards God.

If I had my wallet emptied by a “friend”, I might forgive him from my heart. However it would be a long time before I left my wallet around in his presence again. He would have to earn my trust, even though I forgave him from my heart.

Frank

By: timbob

timbob — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:26:09 +0000

Hi Rachel. I always think back to Matthew 5:45 along with the text surrounding it when such circumstances arise. And arise they do; often when we least expect it. In my case, a continual area of struggle is with our oldest daughter who brings much drama into the family and is involved with an abusive boyfriend. There has been lying, stealing, and much anger from Morgan and irratric; sometimes violent behavior on the part of Dustin. I’ve talked before about the situation but it’s a hard thing to deal with.

Oftentimes I have to stop…I mean…just stop. And inquire of the Lord to allow a glimpse of the bigger picture. To not see the behavior in front of me or wrongs commited at our expense, but to see the bigger spiritual battle in play. A battle that threatens to keep these priceless souls in darkness until their respective clocks run out.

It’s a thing that I battle day by day and sometimes hour by hour. Oftentimes situations arise in which we have two possible ways of responding and both ways seem wrong. (It’s complicated) But when one wades through all of the theatrics on the surface, the underlying battle is that souls are in the balance, which the enemy seeks destroy.

Thanks for a most relevant post as each of us have areas where we are challenged by such goings on. Blessings always in Jesus name.

timbob

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:20:58 +0000

Sisterlisa . . . thanks for stopping by. I’ll check out FB

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:19:20 +0000

Hi Lorie! – thanks for your thoughts. The flesh is so reactive isn’t it? And the spirit much more deliberate.

By: Sisterlisa

Sisterlisa — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:55:24 +0000

lol Why didn’t you just throw eggs or army men back at them? I bet they would have LOVED a food fight. But seriously I know what you mean. I’ll add you on facebook and you can see the dialogue on my wall about the stuff we’re going through right now.

By: Lorie Yocum

Lorie Yocum — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:02:10 +0000

HI Sis,
I feel ya and can so totally relate, before I did alot of doing, before thinking, and later realized how I could have went about it in a beter way.
The flesh often tries to have it’s way, but when we can sit back and see the bigger picture, we know next time.

Luv *U*

By: Rachel

Rachel — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:59:58 +0000

Dr. Lee – so true. And sometimes we think we forgive but haven’t because we truly can’t in our strength alone – but only by His love in us, which enables us. So though we may know we should forgive – it is by His grace that we truly do. And when He does that work in our heart – it is truly amazing.

By: Dr. James A. Lee

Dr. James A. Lee — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:34:17 +0000

We must all learn to forgive others the way in which God forgives us. This is a hard concept. People will do whatever and could care less. We walk in the light. We see things and feel in ways that other ignore. Yes, we ask for forgiveness and we give it as well through prayer and The Word. God Bless you and all that you do.