Dont Be Reluctant to Show Mercy In Biblical fellowship, people will experience mercy. Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes arent 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. Its impossible to have biblical 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 others 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 youre hurt by someone, you have a choice to make: Will I use my energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution? You cant do both. Many people are reluctant to show mercy because they dont 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. The best place to restore trust is within the supportive context of a small group that offers both encouragement and accountability. -Rick Warren
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 23:05:12 +0000
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