Peter came out of the crucifixion and resturection firmly believing that heaven had factored every interloper into it’s trajectory.
Tag: betrayal
The Kingdom is built by forgiving people. Period. We ourselves have been forgiven of much. How could we be anything less?
Suddenly, I see people-pleasing as the idolatrous transgression it truly is. Valuing the opinion of man over the opinion of God or obedience to Him – well, this puts us in a precarious place. Just as we may cheat on the Almighty through materialism or appetite, we equally betray our Beloved by letting the applause or dismay of others have undue influence. We allow ordinary people to rule our affections (heart), motives (soul), thoughts (mind) and actions (strength). When we seek to please mere people, we dethrone the one true King.
Choosing to forgive a betraying spouse is perhaps the most bitter pill a wife can swallow. It requires arduous effort. But if we don’t or won’t forgive, the cost is far greater than our marriage. We can wind up cutting ourselves off from the most rewarding/redeeming relationship of all. We wind up despising when we are created to delight. We stand outside when we have been invited to come close. We thrash about in angst when we could be set free to soar with grace.
Walking with Jesus demands a dying to self that is unreasonable yet inexplicable.
Marriages fall short every day, but God steps in amidst our deficit and shows Himself faithful.
When we become more accurately away of our own capacity for betrayal, we can develop compassion and absolution for betrayal by others.
A ‘yes’ in obedience to Christ’s teaching is a ‘yes’ to a more intimate life with Him.