Don't Be Reluctant to Show Mercy
by Rick Warren
When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won't give up in despair. 2 Corinthians 2:7 (CEV)
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In real fellowship people experience mercy. Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes aren't rubbed in but rubbed out. Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice.
We all need mercy, because we all stumble and fall and require help getting back on track. We need to offer mercy to each other and be willing to receive it from each other.
You can't have fellowship without forgiveness because bitterness and resentment always destroy fellowship. Sometimes we hurt each other intentionally and sometimes unintentionally, but either way, it takes massive amounts of mercy and grace to create and maintain fellowship.
The Bible says, "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" (Colossians 3:13 NLT).
The mercy God shows to us is the motivation for us to show mercy to others. Whenever you're hurt by someone, you have a choice to make: Will I use my energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution?
You can't do both.
Many people are reluctant to show mercy because they don't understand the difference between trust and forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past. Trust has to do with future behavior.
Forgiveness must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it. Trust must be rebuilt over time.
Trust requires a track record. If someone hurts you repeatedly, you are commanded by God to forgive them instantly, but you are not expected to trust them immediately, and you are not expected to continue allowing them to hurt you. They must prove they have changed over time. The best place to restore trust is within the supportive context of a small group that offers both encouragement and accountability.
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
by Rick Warren
When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won't give up in despair. 2 Corinthians 2:7 (CEV)
*** *** *** ***
In real fellowship people experience mercy. Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes aren't rubbed in but rubbed out. Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice.
We all need mercy, because we all stumble and fall and require help getting back on track. We need to offer mercy to each other and be willing to receive it from each other.
You can't have fellowship without forgiveness because bitterness and resentment always destroy fellowship. Sometimes we hurt each other intentionally and sometimes unintentionally, but either way, it takes massive amounts of mercy and grace to create and maintain fellowship.
The Bible says, "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" (Colossians 3:13 NLT).
The mercy God shows to us is the motivation for us to show mercy to others. Whenever you're hurt by someone, you have a choice to make: Will I use my energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution?
You can't do both.
Many people are reluctant to show mercy because they don't understand the difference between trust and forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past. Trust has to do with future behavior.
Forgiveness must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it. Trust must be rebuilt over time.
Trust requires a track record. If someone hurts you repeatedly, you are commanded by God to forgive them instantly, but you are not expected to trust them immediately, and you are not expected to continue allowing them to hurt you. They must prove they have changed over time. The best place to restore trust is within the supportive context of a small group that offers both encouragement and accountability.
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
posted by Danielle at 9:08 AM
2 Comments:
Oh, so right on. God is continuing a deep work in you, calling you to a much deeper walk and the rewards will be deeper too.....a wonderful, courageous post.
God has been dealing with me too, in getting out of the victim mentality - there are so many things that are subtle, yet lately have become glaring and make me want to fall at the feet of Jesus...whew! But I'm tired of attracting the slime that being a victim attracts - not that we deserve it, but the devil is sooooo sneaking when he sets these systems up in us. But we are conquering, yes!!!!!
Thanks for the always inspiration that you are.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my non-existent sketchblog! I set it up but haven't really had time to do anything with it yet... maybe some day. In the meantime, my real blogs are awaiting you if you're so inclined. I'll add your blog to my rss feeds and when you update I'll know. Hope to see you writing more often again in the future.
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