Forgiveness and Humility in the Body of Christ 8/19/2022
In the past month or so, the Lord has sent 4 different people to me for the purpose of repenting and asking forgiveness and reconciling with me over things that the enemy tried to create division over, pretty much all of which was untrue. In every case, regardless of any pain caused, I am thrilled to have the opportunity for reconciliation and more wholeness in the body of Christ. Even if you are not walking in unforgiveness, the lack of closure in areas of offense or hurt creates a doorway that the enemy can come through over and over until it is closed by the Spirit of God through healthy reconciliation. In general, I have never been a person who holds a grudge. I’m honestly too practical for that. It’s black-and-white in the word of God. The Father and Jesus were one and Jesus said His greatest desire was that we would be one. It’s not that I don’t feel pain, or that I never feel offended. When we respond that way however, it is usually because we have hurt upon hurt, multiple woundings that become too much for us and eventually cause us to lash out in the hurt instead of letting God use us to bring the healing. I am so proud of people who have the humility and the love and the guts to bring peace and reconciliation in areas where maybe the enemy caused them to act out of their flesh or somehow be part of relationship breaking down. Even if I know I haven’t done anything wrong and even if the other person confirms that, I will always apologize myself and ask forgiveness for any offense I may have caused. Why? Why would I do that even if I know that it wasn’t my fault?
Because it’s not about me. Paul talks in one place about his conscience being clear, but that just because his conscience is clear did not mean he was innocent. He said the Lord alone would judge him. There were times in my life when I apologized to people that I absolutely did nothing to, only to bring healing to their hostility towards me… Which was actually coming by a very obvious spirit of division upon their life due to their own woundedness. The reason the Lord would do this was for the purpose of reconciliation. We don’t always have to be right. We always have to be RIGHTEOUS and although our righteousness comes through Jesus, there are very specific instructions in the Bible for how to stay in that place with the Lord… which unforgiveness can quickly defile. Without question, the most grievous offenses I have ever been the recipient of in my lifetime have come from other believers or leaders. Most of the time, you can easily pick up any Bible in any translation and immediately dissolve or diffuse these offenses by following very simple and loving biblical protocol. Why do we in the body of Christ so often ignore biblical instruction in these matters? It is because we are offended. We care more about our reputation or our own name or ministry or agenda than we do about honoring and magnifying the name of Jesus first and foremost.
When you are in ministry, it is unbelievable sometimes the tactics that the enemy will use to try to destroy relationships, disrupt unity, try to get you to quit because your heart can’t handle any more hurt. This year and really the last few years have been a time of character building for us in the area of not walking in offense regardless of what people do or say about us. I’m not gonna tell you it’s easy. I do have a flesh that is supposed to be dead, crucified with Christ, but still likes to rise up and respond sometimes when it’s been poked enough. I have been sensing the past couple of days that the Lord is going to have unity become front and center again in the days ahead. I’m talking about, within the immediate days ahead, the Lord is going to be reconciling a lot of relationships and also causing people to operate in humility and love to cover over old offenses and wounds. We use the word unity often in our generation, just as we like to throw the word repentance in to legitimize conversations around revival etc. However, what does real unity look like? You don’t have to walk with a person relationally in order to be in right relationship with them before the Lord. Read that again. You don’t have to be friends with your abusers in order to love them like Jesus. You don’t have to remarry a spouse that you divorced years ago in order to get that hostility and anger out of your heart. So much brokenness in this generation is because of fractures in relationship that either never needed to happen or could’ve happened in a healthy way instead of a worldly way.
The world says to just reject people, kick them to the curb, get yours, win at all costs, get them before they get you. This is never ever the way that believers are called to operate. The Bible tells us to cover over offenses, not to keep a record of wrongs and to do everything possible within our own power to live in unity and peace with everybody. Do you know what’s a more powerful story than you sharing once again how you were wronged by somebody? Sharing the story of reconciliation and how Jesus turned a situation around so that the enemy didn’t win, causing a root of bitterness to spring up that defiled many. If you’re not handling it like Jesus told you to handle it, stop attaching His name to it when you talk about the person or the situation. It is high past time that we need to be reconciled with each other so that we can become truly reconciled with the Lord. We need to get over ourselves church. It is so much easier to love than it is to hate or resent people. Too many believers feel like they have to keep their head down, to avoid situations or gatherings or for that matter, even regions, because of the discord that has been sown against them over and over.
Become a peacemaker. Have the uncomfortable conversations. Be willing to be naked and transparent before those that you have a painful history with. Not everybody is safe to do this with, we need grace and we need wisdom. Most people and most situations, there is a way to bring wholeness. Ask the Lord. Let him decide for you who and what you are to address in love so that you can be made whole again yourself. Lord Jesus, let the body of Christ become one again as You and the Father are one.