"Learn to forgive your enemies,
it will drive them up the wall."
~ Unknown
it will drive them up the wall."
~ Unknown
Let Go and Let God
#discipleship
And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come up! Is it a small thing ... that you should keep acting like a prince over us? ... " Then Moses was very angry, and said to the LORD, "Do not respect their offering. I have not ... hurt one of them." ... And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households.
~ Numbers 16:12-15,32 (NKJV)
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
~ Romans 12:19-20 (NIV)
Among some three dozen posts offered on the subject of "trust" for yesterday's blog carnival (hosted by Bridget Chumbley), a number mentioned our trust in others being disappointed.
Has someone violated your trust with unrighteous behavior, and you find it difficult to recover?
Have you suffered physical injury or emotional trauma?
Been stolen from or cheated?
Been lied to?
Has an employer or business caused financial loss or overwhelming stress?
Have your rights been violated?
Has government oppressed you?
Have you been betrayed by a friend?
Scorned by a person you've loved?
Moses was slandered and faced open sedition. Much was at stake. He took no action against men who might have caused much harm, but turned the entire matter over to the Lord. The earth literally split open to take the men away.
Release to the Lord whatever harm has been done you. Allow Him to guide your words and actions. Do good to, bless, pray for those who harm you, to put entirely in His hands any necessary retribution.
There are many ways enemies might be destroyed. Perhaps we'll even see the day when we might say, as Abraham Lincoln did, "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?"
Lord, thank You for proving Yourself perfect, the only One Who will not disappoint our trust. Thank You for holding our lives and everything in them in Your hands. Please enable our hearts to trust You for restoring to us anything lost through disappointed trust in anyone else.
Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Photo from coolantarctica.com
#discipleship
And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come up! Is it a small thing ... that you should keep acting like a prince over us? ... " Then Moses was very angry, and said to the LORD, "Do not respect their offering. I have not ... hurt one of them." ... And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households.
~ Numbers 16:12-15,32 (NKJV)
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
~ Romans 12:19-20 (NIV)
Among some three dozen posts offered on the subject of "trust" for yesterday's blog carnival (hosted by Bridget Chumbley), a number mentioned our trust in others being disappointed.
Has someone violated your trust with unrighteous behavior, and you find it difficult to recover?
Have you suffered physical injury or emotional trauma?
Been stolen from or cheated?
Been lied to?
Has an employer or business caused financial loss or overwhelming stress?
Have your rights been violated?
Has government oppressed you?
Have you been betrayed by a friend?
Scorned by a person you've loved?
Moses was slandered and faced open sedition. Much was at stake. He took no action against men who might have caused much harm, but turned the entire matter over to the Lord. The earth literally split open to take the men away.
Release to the Lord whatever harm has been done you. Allow Him to guide your words and actions. Do good to, bless, pray for those who harm you, to put entirely in His hands any necessary retribution.
There are many ways enemies might be destroyed. Perhaps we'll even see the day when we might say, as Abraham Lincoln did, "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?"
Lord, thank You for proving Yourself perfect, the only One Who will not disappoint our trust. Thank You for holding our lives and everything in them in Your hands. Please enable our hearts to trust You for restoring to us anything lost through disappointed trust in anyone else.
Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Photo from coolantarctica.com
I was just looking up Dathan and Abiram an hour ago. They're in a novel of mine in which I'm sending out a partial, and I wanted to make sure I had 'Abiram's' spelling correct. (which I'm pleased to report I did). SO, I was bit surprised to see there names again tonight. Hmm... good thing for me, I'm better at keeping friends than enemies.
ReplyDeleteI learned so much from reading Psalms. The psalmists' anger are all directed vertically instead of horizontally. Their faith rises as they put their confidence in the Lord.
ReplyDeleteIn Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love he writes that our enemies are people we avoid or people who avoid us. It opened my eyes to who all might fit in that catagory. Moses...took no action against. Powerful.
ReplyDeleteHey, I need your Biblical wisdom over on my blog today if you get a chance to swing by.
~ Wendy
What a great post. When we feel betrayed, the desire to make the other person hurt the way we did is so strong. To destroy the enemy by making him a friend turns the attitude away from throughts of revenge. The key, as you so beautifully point out, is trusting God.
ReplyDeleteThis was a good post. We can't be reminded enought about the need to forgive and let go. Jesus warning about withholding forgiveness puts this subject into a "high alert" category!
ReplyDeleteA. Lincoln's quote was great, too.
Good article.
I had my trust violated by someone in the church a while back, and I wanted to vindicate myself and my name. A good friend -- who is a a very wise woman -- reminded me repeatedly that God alone vindicates.
ReplyDeleteSo I let it be, and I am so very glad that I did. It would take too long to describe here, but the lesson for me was this: Keeping my mouth shut was worth the effort. :-)
Being happy will also drive our enemies up the wall ... and free us of the need to "punish" them so we can truly enjoy life.
ReplyDeleteT. Anne, you're doing biblical fiction? I can't belive you haven't mentioned it before now. I'll have to hear more!
ReplyDeleteBible Lover, I like noting whether praise music is vertical or horizontal. I'm glad for the reminder, so I can be paying closer attention to the Psalms themselves.
Wendy, I'm not so sure I like that definition. It might convict me ... might be already. Now I'll have to think on it! :(
Evelyn, I continue to learn how many things in my life find their peace in being released to God.
Warren, I appreciate your definition of "high alert." This must be important to the Lord, since Jesus instructed to make peace with a brother before presenting your offering.
Jennifer--ooooh isn't it hard to be quiet and wait on the Lord?! Isn't it worth it when we manage?
Susan, you're absolutely right. Our happiness in the Lord is sure to be punishment for those who want to see us suffer. And with all else life entails, YES I want to be free of the desire to punish anyone and enjoy life. Well said.
Thank you, thank you. You have my wholehearted encouragement to write on this topic for the rest of the year. I could use it. Either that, or a little talking Anne doll to sit on my shoulder. :-)
ReplyDeleteRosslyn, the subject DOES seem exhaustive. How can we struggle with forgiveness when we've received so much ourselves? And yes, I put myself squarely in that category. But no matter what, I'm determined to hold NO grudges.
ReplyDeleteBless you sweetie, life is way too short, to waste my time and energy on things that truly do not matter.
ReplyDeleteYou are SO right, Denise! Bless you too, Dear!
ReplyDelete