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Be careful when
you go to challenge another believer in the area of forgiveness. Many Christians cannot tell the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. The problem is, you can not reconcile if nothing has changed. Of course, resentment must go, and forgiveness happens in prayer. Even when feelings are still strong and it seems that resentment runs high, an honest crying out to the Lord for His deep work of forgiveness in the heart is always heard. But all too often onlookers try to make the innocent party feel as though he has to reconcile when all the time, the agenda of the offender is still that of a coiled snake. Unless the situation is dramatically unusual, don't mention these things, trying to get the one whose ear you have to go to the coiled snake and try to get a reconciliation. You have no idea what is going on. Reconciliation is not the issue, and if the problem is between two believers, the tender believer has no freedom to respond to heaven's own love, when he is being bossed into a behavior that is to satisfy onlookers instead of the Lord. We know that if there can be sweet reasonableness, we must reconcile. We know that bitterness may not be harbored. But watch your step! Don't get in the way of the unseen work of the Spirit because of good human intentions. The Church is filled with busybodies who seem to know more than the Lord! Light can not fellowship with darkness, and the real issue is that the believer must do all he can. If he can do no more, he is not responsible, and he must let it go, and so must you! Encouragement is one thing, but pushing people into artificial settlings is done only for the satisfaction of the pusher. The pushee is always damaged further, and you simply may not meddle in these things! Our Prince of Peace said He came to bring a Sword, and while it is not an excuse for indulging the flesh, it may be result in a separation that heaven intended between light and darkness, and you better stay out of it! |
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