Thursday... Let's take care of those differences and hurtful memories.

Thursday... Let's take care of those differences and hurtful memories.

And that is a great way to live.

Paul in Ephesians 4:3 (NLT) says, "Make every effort to keep yourselves united together with peace." It is so hard to live with someone and be in conflict, isn't it? Always remembering something they did especially in your past. Well, making an effort in the here and now can make such a difference in each day and in our futures.

Verse 2 says, "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other's faults because of your love." That is such a great idea. 

The Message says it this way. "I don't want anyone of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline - not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences." What a great idea. And in our homes is a great place for us to start and continue to do, isn't it?

Now later in this chapter Pauls gets practical. In verses 26-27 he writes, "And 'don't sin by letting anger control you.' Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil." 

Let's say someone does something to you and you become angry at them. Now if you do nothing about this anger before you go to sleep then it becomes a part of your memory, a hurtful memory but if you forgive them and resolve the conflict before you go to sleep then the Spirit wipes it from your memory. In other words, the devil won't have a foothold in your memories. Even if they haven't asked you to forgive them, just forgive them before you go to sleep. As verse 3 says, "Make every effort to keep yourselves united together with peace."

Verse 27 in the Amplified Bible says, "And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness]."

Verse 32 says, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." He isn't asking you to do something that he hasn't already done to you.

Now this is important for us to see. Yes, someone is bad to you and God will judge them and deal with them but even if you haven't done what they did, you will be by judged by God, held responsible for your reaction to what they did to you. This is so important for us to see. 

Remember, "And 'don't sin by letting anger control you.' Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry." And "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other's faults because of your love." And, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Your being forgiven and forgiving is a big deal with God.

So let's take care of the wrongs done to us by others and not let them become a controlling part of our memories. Let's work it out before we go to sleep so the Spirit can take care of it before it becomes a controlling, painful memory. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning