Thoughts springing from my pastor’s ongoing series on peace making.

Peacemaking is hard because it is against our nature—it requires us to be humble, to forgive, to let go. We would rather avoid, gossip and punish the one who hurt us.

The key to peace making  is remembering how much WE have been forgiven. When we forget that, we fall into one of two traps (sometimes both at the same time).

First we can fall into the victim trap, feeling sorry for ourselves when others hurt us. Our culture pushes us to take this position.

Being a victim makes us focus on our hurt rather than on Jesus. Therefore we fail to take up the grace of God (trusting Him in His understanding of the situation, His working in our lives through this hurt, His great plan for our lives).

Hebrews 12:15 says, “Take heed lest you fail to take up the grace of God (the wisdom, insight and help he offers), lest a root of bitterness spring up troubling you, and many thereby are defiled.” Being a victim brings trouble to all around—and especially to you! Being bitter will trouble us deeply and others, too.

Jesus says, “Forgive as I have forgiven you,”(Col 3:13) not “nurse that grudge and make them hurt like they hurt you!” Forgiving is taking up the grace of God. It frees us from the anguish of victimhood, from the pollution of bitterness and brings us joy and peace as we trust God (Romans 15:13), knowing that He will use this hurt for good in our lives.

I will tell you about the second trap tomorrow.

Picture: unforgiveness and bitterness will only lead us into darkness.