Weary Warriors

Since Sunday's post I'm wondering how you are doing with "right thinking?" Have there been offenses committed against you which have made you feel like quitting? Have you been tempted towards bitterness, division, strife? Rather than advancing in Kingdom work are you spending your energy constructing walls of protection? When we do these things we are playing right into Satan's hands; for his strategy against Christians is to divide and conquer.

Jeremiah 12:5 "If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?"

A heart unloving among kindred has no love towards God's saints and angels. If we have a cold heart towards a servant or a friend, why should we wonder if we have no fervour towards God? If we are cold in our private prayers, we should be earthly and dull in the most devout religious order, if we cannot bear the vexations of a companion, how should we bear the contradiction of sinners? If a little pain overcomes us, how could we endure a cross? If we have no tender, cheerful, affectionate love to those with whom our daily hours are spent, how should we feel the pulse and ardour of love to the unknown and the evil, the ungrateful and repulsive? (H.E. Manning)

You may be thinking, "That sounds good, but how do I get there? I've been offended, hurt, betrayed too many times."

Here is a word that has encouraged my heart and helped me to put offenses in the right perspective:

When my mind is fixed on the gospel, I have ample stimulation to show God's love to other people. For I am always willing to show love to others when I am freshly mindful of the love that God has shown me. Also, the gospel gives me the wherewithal to give forgiving grace to those who have wronged me, for it reminds me daily of the forgiving grace that God is showing me.

Doing good and showing love to those who have wronged me is always the opposite of what my sinful flesh wants me to do. Nonetheless, when I remind myself of my sins against God and of His forgiving and generous grace toward me, I give the gospel an opportunity to reshape my perspective and to put me in a frame of mind wherein I actually desire to give this same grace to those who have wronged me. (Milton Vincent)

I have learned that rather than let my thoughts run away with my emotions I must"renew my mind" (Romans 12:2), with biblical truth and lead my emotions rather than follow them. I often need to remind myself that my sins against God are far greater than any sin anyone has done or ever will do against me. Yet in spite of my GREAT sin God extends mercy to me through the atoning work of Christ. How can I not extend mercy to others?

Matthew 18:21-35

Let us think on these things.