NO FAULTS HERE
Prayer: Dear Lord, I want to honor You today with my heart attitudes. I offer myself to You to show me where I am carrying an offense.
Scripture: You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. Col. 3.13 NLT
How often we fall into critical comments and statements about our brothers and sisters. How often those comments grow into real judgments. Jesus told us we are not to make negative conclusions (“judging” Matt 7:1-5) about other persons, especially about our brothers and sisters in Christ. They have been redeemed from sin, just as we were and by the same faith and by the same Lord. They are new creations, just as we are, and are being individually remade by the Holy Spirit just like us. Thus, why not ‘make allowance’ for them. Know that others must also wrestle to make allowance for us about our own quirks and uniquenesses. When we feel an offense, we must be immediately willing to release it to forgiveness.
I once had a very negative feeling about another believer whom I believed had harmed me greatly. I carried that and nurtured it until it made me sour and bitter. Then, a year later, I discovered that the thing that had hurt me so badly was done by another person entirely. I let my mistaken belief that this brother had injured me sour our relationship and my own attitude. A whole year of joy was lost because I decided to ‘judge’ this person but not say anything to him. What a waste! It turned out that I was the one doing harm by my negative attitude.
I pray that you may be bound together with all other believers whom you have contact with this day– bound in perfect harmony. I pray you will commit to doing this unilaterally, as far as it is possible with you.
“. . . lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other’s faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united with the Holy Spirit and bind yourselves together with peace” Eph. 4:1-3
Copyright Dan Elliott. Email [email protected]