It is impossible to go through life without experiencing times of hurt, times when someone has hurt us in some way. Those times can be even more painful when it is someone within the church who has hurt us. David expresses the pain caused by a friend when he writes this:
“For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—
then I could hide from him.
But it is you, a man, my equal,
my companion, my familiar friend.” (Ps. 55:12-13 ESV)
Such times can be extremely painful; and yet, in the midst of them, we must remember to: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:31-32 ESV)
This is not easy to do at times, and we must look to the Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to do this. But we must do it. Jesus went to the cross for us to take upon Himself our sins that we may be forgiven. Let’s seek His help that we may extend forgiveness to others too.
