As I lay in bed last night, I kept thinking about the times when I or one of my friends is struggling with what seems like justified — though sinful — thoughts. Sometimes, these thoughts just seem like a deserved indulgence, but sometimes they seem like a very justified part of a healing process (for example, hating someone who hurt you very deeply, etc.). Typically, I want to say, “Go for it! You have every right to feel this way!” But last night, my spirit kept breathing out one Scripture:
2 Corinthians 10:5 “…We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ…”
I made a mental note that I don’t want to counsel anyone (including myself!) that hateful, vengeful, or even obsessive thoughts are ever justified — even as “a part of the healing process”; God has shown us a more joyful — more free — Way. To aggressively capture each vividly emotional thought and command it to bow down to a Savior who died not only for the one who hurt us, but also for our sinful thought. This is the narrow part of the “narrow road”; this is the cross part. If we don’t make ourselves love our enemies when we have them, what good is Christ’s command (Matthew 5:44)? Of course it’d be much easier to love them after we’ve been through the whole healing process or after they’re dead or disappeared…but I think that would negate Jesus’ point and would keep us from becoming more like the man who, at just the right time, died for the ungodly.
We can do this because God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (read this).
Comments
4 responses to “obedient thoughts”
I’m all for what your saying – until I think about anyone harming my children, and then I feel like a great big fraud, because I don’t think I could EVER forgive that, and when you have conditions on forgiveness….it’s not very Christ-like.
How sweet to know that God gave you to me as a friend. To carry life’s burdens right along beside me…you are my true friend and I’m so grateful.
You’re right! Sinful, hateful thougths are not justified–in any way. To hate another…(I just realized this evening)…you end up just hating yourself. For we’re no different that the one who hurt us. We both nailed our Jesus to the cross, we both need Jesus to enter Heaven, and He loves us just the same…the very same way! The amount of blood he shed for me, the amount of pain he bore for me, the feelings of betrayal—-that He felt by me on that day He died on the cross….he also shed, bore, and felt betrayal–and forgave those that have hurt me. We’re the same as those who have hurt us. How sweet it is for us when we experience grace! Why would we want to keep that to ourselves? I think sharing grace and forgiveness is what being Christ-like is all about. I’m just now learning that part of how to really forgive someone. I know I can share it….with God’s loving, guiding hands—-I know I can.
Thank you for shedding such a glorious light on forgiveness! This just confirms the blessings that I have received in meditating on “mercy”. He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and
to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
Love you!
Yes, I agree, but how hard it is to control our thoughts. It’s so easy to justify our anger towards those who have hurt us. Makes me want to turn to Jesus and say ‘Oh, help’, there is no way to truly forgive on our own, we need Him.
By the way to the previous poster ‘Grandmom’, that is one of my favorite verses!