Okay, Don’t Count That!

It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. (I Corinthians 13:5b, CEV)

Sometimes, when we are feeling particularly hurt or wronged by someone who has hurt us in the past or has a habit of hurting us it’s really tempting to add up all the times they have done the same thing or something similar. To take account of their bad behavior, keep a running tally in our head, mind, or heart. In fact when people are repeat offenders its harder not to do that! Harder to dismiss or forgive them. Yes, not so easy to just turn it over to God to take care of. But this is exactly what God requires us to do. He knows its difficult and feels impossible—and God knows the offender does not make it any easier! And, as long as we attempt to do it alone, under our own strength, it will be impossible. This is why He comes to help us. He knows exactly what it feels like, after all that what he has had to do and continues to do with us. But because he lets his perfect love for us rule his heart, emotions, and thoughts toward us, he does.

God does not promote, support, encourage, nor accept people walking over us and he has a plan to deal with those who wrong us, and we can trust him when he says he will not let the wrong that happens to us go undetected or be idly forgotten. Remember, he alone will cause even these difficult things to work out for our good! In the meantime, he wants us to trust him, and he wants to help us be free from worry and keep a clean heart and uncluttered mind and conscience. Let’s Pray,

Dear God, this is one of those areas we need to be reminded of doing things your way because its so tempting to fall into the world’s way of handling this kind of stuff and the devil’s counsel which is not good counsel at all. Thank you for being here for us in this way and for dealing with us in such a patient, loving, Fatherly manner. With your help we can master even these high spiritual skills. Amen

Questions for Soul-tending:

What (or should we say, who came to mind) when you read today’s message?

 Can you spend some time in prayer with God about it/them and let him counsel or direct you?

How can you apply today’s message into your plan of soul-care?