Each one of us is here for a purpose and calling which has been entrusted to us from God. He has given each of us a purpose to glorify Him with our lives.
Furthermore, God has also given us the direction of what He has created us in His image for. God created us to be in a relationship with Him to share His love and truth with those who do not know the truth.
We were never intended for isolation or to be alone. We were created for relationships and friendships. But that does mean to have meaningful relationships and friendships we must forgive those who hurt us.
We must let God heal the wounds even though the scars remain there. It also means putting in the effort and work to remain in place instead of running in the other direction.
"Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain in which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of age."(Matthew 28:16-20ESV).
Even though we live in a shallow world and culture that does not want anything to do with meaningful relationships or friendships. God did not create us in His image for a shallow or casual relationship with Him.
In all honesty, I admit that I have run in the other direction from meaningful relationships or friendships in the past because of either past hurts or wounds that have not been healed completely. Or because of being pushed away or rejected by others who couldn't accept or wasn't ready to accept unconditional love being given.
Yet, relationships, friendships, and life can get messy. We can get so stuck in old patterns in every which way. Especially, within our minds, we can get stuck in old thinking patterns that are negative and based on lies. This is why we must cling to God's word and align what we believe with His word.
And we must guard the good deposit of the gospel truth which God has entrusted to us. Plus we must guard what God has entrusted and called us to do. Besides, we must remember that God fulfills His plan, His purpose not our categories or labels but His divine will.
Negative thinking, putting things, or people in limiting categories limits how we perceive things or come to believe. The point is, labels can even limit how we see God move.
Even the weight of un-forgiveness can weigh us down and puts limits on us. It can hold us hostage in pain and make us suffer if we do not have compassion and forgive those who have wounded us.
Moreover, we need to remember those who do the wounding are in pain too. This is why they lash out and hurt others because they are hurting too.
"Unhealed hurt often becomes unleashed hurt spewed out on others."(Terkeurst, 2020, pg.23).
But we have hope in Jesus. He heals the wounds and the hurt by restoring what is lost. He takes the weight of sin and pain to give us healing. So that we can run the race of endurance of faith and be filled with the Holy Spirit which is within us.
The weight of sin is heavy, but the weight of God's yoke is easy and light.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."(Matthew11:28-30ESV).
We must let God heal us and give us rest for our souls. Otherwise, we will be like wounded dogs hiding from anyone who comes near us, because we have lost trust in everything around us. Which is not good nor is it healthy.
Moreover, we need to remove the weight of every sin that tries to cling to us, because sin is heavy and past wounds that are not completely healed are heavy with insecurity.
The only way to remove the sin and heavy burdens of past wounds of un-forgiveness are by accepting Jesus, His salvation, and confessing our own sin.
We must make room for God to move because we can't schedule the presence of God nor can we schedule how or when He moves. We have to submit to His authority and be willing to yield to the Holy Spirit.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."(Hebrews12:1-2ESV).
Besides, we cannot run the race of endurance if we are weighted down with sin and wounds of the past. Basically, if things are weighing us down we won't be able to run fast, but only move slowly.
If the weight of sin and wounds are weighing us down then we will not necessarily be able to see the whole truth, because our judgment will be clouded with a certain perception of hurt.
This is why we need to follow the pattern of God's word and align ourselves with it. If we do not know the truth, then we will not be able to follow it.
"Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you."(2Timothy 1:13-14ESV).
The Holy Spirit fills us and guides us into all truth. The Spirit also helps us to guard the good deposited and entrusted to us by Jesus.
"We don't serve a Do-nothing God. He is always working."(Terkeurst, 2020, pg.115).
God moves whether we see it or not.
Abide and remain steadfast in relationship with God
Make disciples and baptize them
Share the truth
Build relationships and friends
Guard what is entrusted to us
"People come in all shapes and sizes and stories and it's not our job to fix them, use them, or get them to act just like us. It's our job to love them."(Baker, 2017, pg.51)
We are called to share Jesus with others and love them. Not make them fit into things they are not supposed to fit in. And we cannot force people into things or believe things, because that is wrong. The only thing we can do is share the unfailing love of Jesus and make room for God to change their hearts.
References:
Baker, Lisa-Jo(2017) Never Unfriended, The Secret to Finding and Keeping Lasting Friendships, B&H Publishing, Nashville, Tennessee,
English Standard Version Study Bible (2008) Crossway Publishing, Wheaton ILL,
Picture by: wix.com
Terkeurst, Lysa, (2020) Forgiving What You Can't Forget, Discover How To Move On, Make Peace With Painful Memories, And Create A Life That's Beautiful Again, Thomas-Nelson Publishing, Nashville Tennessee,
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