The Truth Hurts!

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me….I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” Matthew 25:40, 45.

It will be so good to be in Heaven where I can walk a perfect path in both thought and action. I try to live my life in a manner worthy of Christ but man, do I fall short.

Forgiveness is one of the most difficult things a person is called to do for our flesh wants nothing more than to wear our wounds upon our chest like a well-deserved medal. That is just what happened to me in a situation with a person in my life who has continuously wounded me over the past decades. This morning, I was convicted by the Holy Spirit that I set that person up subconsciously to look less than their best.

Yuck! Don’t I hate those little sips of bitterness that I partake in secretly and in subtle ways. Justified or unjustified, unforgiveness will harm us more than those whom have harmed us and will block our fellowship with God. I know you have heard the saying, “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

God lifted the verses above to lovingly but firmly guide me into understanding that my action towards this person was also towards Him.

I support the essential truth of a statement written in the book I read earlier this year. “Bitterness and love cannot live side by side in the same heart. This kills the soul like nothing else.” Donna Morley, Becoming A Woman of Spiritual Passion, p. 81. Many times however we will erect stones of bitterness and resentment from our past wounds. Uncontrolled emotions hinder God’s agenda for our lives and must be put in check. Many times bitterness from our own actions or bitterness because of the actions of someone else creates a stumbling block for God to work His will in our lives. Not only does erecting stones of bitterness block God’s ministries but also scars our relationship with God. It is hypocritical to receive God’s forgiveness and mercy and be unwilling to extend the same to everyone apart from what they have done to us. God never intended on us repaying insult with insult. This practice is both disobedient and disrespectful to God and is just as much a sin as any other. “Bitterness is a spiritual cancer, a rapidly growing malignancy that can consume your life. After it consumes the soul, it begins to eat away at the body. It is so contagious that we can pass it to our children, who are often oblivious to the source of their bitterness. Bitterness cannot be ignored but must be healed at the very core, and only Christ can heal bitterness. No one can do it for you … Others can direct you to Jesus, but you must show up for your appointments… no matter how we resist the process, healing is a cooperative effort.” Beth Moore, A Woman’s Heart – God’s Dwelling Place, p. 36

Thankfully, we serve a God who convicts, forgives, guides and instructs as a means to bring us around to His image.