“Brothers and sisters, if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again… .” -Galatians 6:1
So, what are we if we do not ‘gently help make him right again’?
…
I can tell when I’m a little off.
I read Psalm 109 a few days ago and I could tell King David was having an off day, too. I love how God, through His inspired Word, lets us see David’s heart.
Is it okay to lose it a bit, just between you and God? Do you ever express prayers like David did here? Is it okay to be real, to be genuine, to be authentic?
Yeah.
Just don’t stay there.
David was clearly referring to someone he knew and loved, someone whom he valued who betrayed him.
“The LORD corrects those he loves, just as parents correct the child they delight in.” – Proverbs 3:12
How do those feel who don’t correct you?
One of my ‘heroes of the faith’ came and warned me when another leader took my confession to him and shared it among our peers. It’s me my ‘bubble’ and how I can tell when my walk is not quite level.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemies.’ But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you.” – Matthew 5:43-44
I know we all have our stories. I’ve read a few of yours. Just be sure you don’t stay in Psalm 109.
John Piper of “Desiring God” writes:
“Prayer for your enemies is one of the deepest forms of love, because it means that you have to really want that something good to happen to them.
You might do nice things for your enemy without any genuine desire that things go well with them. But prayer for them is in the presence of God who knows your heart, and prayer is interceding with God on their behalf.
It may be for their conversion. It may be for their repentance. It may be that they would be awakened to the enmity in their hearts. It may be that they will be stopped in their downward spiral of sin, even if it takes disease or calamity to do it. But the prayer Jesus has in mind here is always for their good.”
I just kinda stay in that mode of prayer until the One who does love me enough to correct me, gets me ‘level’, again.
