Friday, February 02, 2007

you got a problem with ME?

Jesus said... "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

Luke 17:3-4

I have a friend who periodically has melancholy moods. This used to bother me but eventually I started to ask my friend the question..."do I need to appologize for something today?"

The response was always no. Actually my friend was good at telling me right away when I did or said something hurtful. Eventually I stopped asking, confident that if what was wrong was about me, my friend would have told me.

How freeing this is!

I tend toward introspection. Something said in passing conversation can make me wonder about my relationship with a friend. Sometimes, all it takes is a look.

But does the instruction of Matthew 18:15 (If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.) work in reverse? If my brother does not tell me my fault, does that mean that I can assume there is none? If my brother is truely my brother in Christ, can I not trust that he will forgive me?

When he does not forgive me, that is his burden and not mine. I mean, after I have confessed and repented, is there more I need to do?

Beloved, I have done my best to heal this and reconcile, and whatever they have now in their heart, must be dealt with by You.

The burden of unforgiven sin is great. A favorite counselor of ours said in a recent teaching, "When you are angry and you bury it, you bury it alive." How true! And after a while, it leaks.

Beloved, I must rest that if I do right from now on in these areas, You will deal with the hearts of others.

You are mighty, You love me, You love them and I trust You.

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