Fervent Chapter Ten – Your Relationships

If I were your enemy I would keep you operating individually, not seeing your need for the church or tying yourself too closely to its mission.  I would work to create division between you and other Christians. (Fervent)

In the book Fervent they call it “friendly fire”.  They are talking about the injury that is done right in our own churches, between the pews and during worship.  We cannot continue to allow these offences to take place, we must battle the enemy and close the gaps of misunderstanding.

It is sneaky how it happens.  You are in Bible Study and listening to someone talking about their views and values and you take offence.  Maybe you feel like their words are secret little darts of judgement attacking you personally.  Another person walks past you quickly and doesn’t acknowledge you.  Your feelings are hurt and you are sure it is because you forgot her birthday last month.

The enemy is hard at work putting these thoughts into our thought patterns, knowing that if he can make them land, we will do the rest of the work for him.  I heard a saying that helps me with these pesky little thought attacks:

“You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”

What if the next time you are offended by a fellow believer, you simply decided then and there to forgive them?  What if instead of making assumptions about someone’s behavior, you gave them the benefit of the doubt and choose not to take it personally?

Call to prayer:  My verse for meditation this week is Romans 14:13

“Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this – not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brothers way.”