What if we didn't react....?

[Fragrant Grace]

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3: 12-13

Do you snap, get angry, get easily offended when people say the wrong thing.....when people hurt your feelings....when you feel wronged?

So often I do

So often I ignore that little voice that tenderly says 'let it pass' and instead react in a fleshy way

What if for once we didn't react in that fleshy way......and we took to heart forbearing one another in love
What if for once we really lived and loved like Jesus.......not taking offence, but turning the other cheek

Perhaps then we would shine with traces of Jesus
Perhaps then we would be beacons for the lost
Perhaps then we would be seen to practice what we preach and people would take notice of this 'Christianity' we proclaim as being so important to us

I am ashamed of myself as a Christian for putting self first all too often.

Lord, burn all self away and let it only be You who shines through

O to be saved from self dear Lord
O to be lost in Thee
O that it may be no more I
But Christ that lives in me*

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:22-26


* Ada Whiddington 1891
http://www.talkjesus.com/poetry/23892-he-must-increase-i-must-decrease.html#post119940

 

[Boanerges]

Say ouch or day amen.... We are to love and pray for those who wrong us; Just like Jesus!

 

[Chad]

One of the tougher battles as a believer, turn the other cheek. Thanks for sharing this.

 

[Mchell70]

Good word!

I too fail at this at times, just yesterday morning actually.

I was awoken at 5:30 am by bumping music, from my next door neighbors who were still up partying from the night before. The nature of the flesh took over and I was angry! It was my only morning to sleep in, it's not fair that none of them have jobs and have to work but yet can still manage to party several times a week and know no responsibility. I went out and yelled at one of them that had just rode up on his bike with a beer in hand.

I stayed up made coffee and went out back and to water the flowers and put on some Christian music. Later after I was calm I realized I should not have chewed him out. Last weekend when they woke me up at 1:30 am drunk and fighting I just asked if they were all ok and went back to bed and prayed for them. God reminded me that I too once lived this life and was bound by the chains of addictions. I remembered then I need to see them and love them as God does, to be gentle and kind. And anyway if the worst thing that was happen for the day was I was awoke at 5:30 am so be it.... I have been redeemed and set free and life is good!

I often have to turn to Galatians 5:22-26 and remind myself that this IS how I am to be and that that IS how God has been towards me!