How can we focus more on Christ?
This is another tough one. This may be the hardest one of all. But don’t stop reading, hear me out. I know we all want people to be responsible for their actions. I understand. We want people to apologize and admit they hurt us. When they don’t apologize, we stay mad, angry, hold a grudge, and the feelings that manifest in our hearts is not good. Our life is the one that suffers, not the person that hurt us.
People hurt people. It happens all day every day, some days on purpose and most of the time it’s unintentional. I am not making excuses for the people that harm our hearts, but I am curious. I am curious about why they react the way they do and curious about why they hurt other people. What past secrets are bottled up inside of them and what pain do they harbor from someone that hurt them? What if they are not even aware of what is buried deep down in their hearts?
Here's what we can do. We can pray. We can pray for those that hurt us and pray that we will be able to forgive.
What about the flip side of that? Who have we hurt? Maybe it wasn’t on purpose, but maybe we need to go ask for forgiveness from someone? There is so much freedom to be found in saying the words, “I am sorry.” Go ahead and try it!
Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
