2020-12-16
Efesiërs 4:31 NLV
Die woorde: ‘Raak ontslae van alle bitterheid,’ roep die beeld op van ‘n sjirurg wat ‘n kwaadaardige groeisel uitsny om die persoon se lewe te red. ‘n Ander vers: ‘…Moenie dat daar onder julle ‘n giftige loot opskiet wat moeilikheid veroorsaak en baie aansteek nie’ (Hebreërs 12:15 NLV), beveel ons om waaksaam te wees, omdat ‘n klein saadjie bitterheid wortel kan skiet en probleme veroorsaak.
Bitterheid het baie oorspronge: ‘n afwesige of skellende ouer wie ons nie kan vergewe nie; ‘n aaklige skeisaak wat ons aanhou herleef; die sorgelose fluistering van ‘n vriend wat nie eers bewus is van die effek daarvan op jou nie; ‘n baas wat ons vir bevordering oorgesien het.
Wat is die antwoord? Paulus skryf: ‘…Vergewe mekaar soos God julle vergewe het op grond van wat Christus gedoen het’ (Efesiërs 4:32 NLV). Hoe gouer jy dit doen, hoe beter! Die swaarste ding wat jy ooit sal ronddra, is ‘n wrok. Jou primêre begeerte sal dan wees om die skuldige party aan die pen te laat ry, veral wanneer jy of jou geliefde die slagoffer is.
Satan kom dan die situasie binne en oortuig jou dat dit reg is dat jy ‘n wrok koester. Jy beskerm mos net jouself sodat jy nie weer seerkry nie, nie waar nie? Wanneer dit gebeur, skop jy vas, jy probeer jou posisie regverdig en jy raak gemaklik daarmee om met bitterheid saam te lewe. Totdat dit jou vernietig.
Dit hoef egter nie met jou te gebeur nie, omdat daar geen emosie is wat so diep wortel geskiet het dat God se genade dit nie kan bereik en verwyder nie. Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: ‘Raak ontslae van alle bitterheid.’
Sielskos: Neh 8-10; Joh 20:1-9; Ps 105:37-45; Spr 30:20-23
Ephesians 4:31 NLT
The words “get rid of all bitterness” paint a picture of a surgeon cutting out a malignant growth in order to save the patient’s life. Another translation, “Looking carefully…lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble” (Hebrews 12:15 NKJV), commands us to be vigilant lest a tiny seed of bitterness becomes a root that springs up and causes problems.
Bitterness has many sources: an absentee or abusive parent we can’t forgive; a nasty divorce we keep reliving; the careless words of a friend who’s not even aware of their effect; a boss who passed us up for a promotion. What’s the answer? Forgive, before the problem becomes embedded in your emotions and starts feeding off your memories.
Paul writes: “Make a clean break…Forgive one another as quickly…as…Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32 TM). And the sooner you do it, the better! Harboring bitterness won’t change the other person, but it will change you – and not for the better.
The heaviest thing you’ll ever carry is a grudge. It will make you a misery to be around because your driving desire will be to see the guilty party punished, especially when you or someone you love is the perceived victim.
What happens is this: Satan enters the picture and convinces you it’s okay to harbor resentment. After all, you’re just protecting yourself from getting hurt again, right? When that happens, you dig in, justify your position, and get comfortable living with resentment. That is, until it destroys you.
But that doesn’t have to happen to you, because there’s no emotion so deeply rooted that God’s grace can’t reach down and remove it. So the word for you today is – “Get rid of all bitterness.”
Soul food: Neh 8-10; John 20:1-9; Ps 105:37-45; Prov 30:20-23
Ephesians 4:31 NLT
The words ‘get rid of all bitterness’ might make us think of a doctor thoroughly cleaning a wound to prevent infection. Another translation, ‘Looking carefully…lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble’ (Hebrews 12:15 NKJV), commands us to be vigilant in case a tiny seed of bitterness takes root inside us and causes problems.
Bitterness has many sources: someone who has hurt us; a nasty relationship breakup; the careless words of a friend who’s not even aware of their effect; a work colleague who doesn’t appreciate what we do.
The way to get rid of bitterness is for us to forgive, before the problem becomes embedded in our emotions and starts feeding off our memories. The Message paraphrases Paul’s words: ‘Make a clean break…Forgive one another as quickly…as…Christ forgave you’ (Ephesians 4:31-32 MSG). Harbouring bitterness won’t change the other person, but it will change us – and not for the better. What happens is this: Satan enters the picture and persuades us that it’s okay to harbour resentment, usually by convincing us that we’re just protecting ourselves from getting hurt again. We justify our position, and get comfortable living with resentment and bitterness.
When we don’t tackle these feelings, they can turn into a grudge, where we refuse to let go of the hurt and desire revenge instead of forgiveness. But that doesn’t have to happen to us, because there’s no negative emotion so deeply rooted in us that God’s grace can’t reach down and remove it.
So let’s draw close to God and ask Him to help us forgive, and exchange our revenge for His justice.
Neh 8-10; John 20:1-9; Ps 105:37-45; Prov 30:20-23
2020-12-15
Psalm 119:104 NLV
Ware insig kom van God af – dis ‘n gawe wat slegs Hy kan gee. Dis hoekom Salomo vir God vir insig gevra het, eerder as om op sy eie staat te maak. God sal vir jou insig deur sy Woord gee. ‘Dit is tog die Here wat wysheid gee. Sy woorde gee kennis en insig’ (Spreuke 2:6 NLV). Dawid het gesê: ‘Deur u bevele kry ek insig…’ Die Bybel is geskryf sodat ons insig kan hê en die lewe kan interpreteer soos God dit doen.
Paulus, wat ‘n groot gedeelte van die Nuwe Testament geskryf het, het vir Timoteus gesê: ‘Dink na oor wat ek sê. Die Here sal jou help om al hierdie dinge beter te begryp’ (2 Timoteus 2:7 NLV). Soos jy jouself in die Skrif verdiep, praat God met jou. Hy sê in wese: ‘Dis hoe Ek dit sien, en dis hoe Ek wil hê jy dit moet sien.’ In die Bybel sal jy leer hoe om waarlik suksesvol te wees. Jy sal die antwoord op jou finansiële probleme kry, hoe om jouself van angs te genees en hoe om verhoudingsprobleme op te los. Dit sal jou gesinsverhoudings rig – die vloei van gesag in die huis, insluitend die posisie van die man, die vrou en die kinders. Dit bevat die kuur vir senuweeagtigheid en depressie. Dis selfs ‘n reinigingsmiddel om jou te help om sonde uit jou gedagtes en lewe te verwyder. ‘Hoe kan ‘n jongmens ‘n skoon lewe lei? Deur gehoorsaam te wees aan u woord’ (Psalm 119:9 NLV).
In kort, is die Bybel die beste handleiding vir sukses in die wêreld! Die psalmdigter het gesê: ‘Begrip van u woord bring lig; dit gee insig aan die eenvoudige’ (Psalm 119:130 NLV). As jy dus ware insig wil hê, mediteer vandag oor die Skrif.
Sielskos: Neh 5-7; Joh 19:31-42; Ps 105:23-36; Spr 30:15-19
Psalm 119:104 KJV
True understanding comes from God – it’s a gift only He can give. That’s why Solomon asked God for understanding instead of relying on his own. And God will bestow understanding on you through His Word. “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6 KJV). David said, “Through thy precepts I get understanding.”
The Bible was written that we might have understanding and be able to interpret life the way God does. Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, told Timothy, “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7).
As you immerse yourself in Scripture, God speaks to you. In essence He says, “This is how I see it, and this is how I want you to see it.” In other words, He gives you His insight into the situation. In the Bible you will discover how to become truly successful. You will find the answer to your financial troubles, how to cure worry, and how to solve relationship problems. It will direct you in your family relationships – the chain of authority in the home, including the position of the husband, the wife, and the children. It contains the cure for nervousness and depression. It’s even a purging tool for removing sin from your mind and life. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).
In short, your Bible is the greatest success manual in the world! The psalmist said, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (v. 130). So if you want true understanding, meditate on the Scriptures today.
Soul food: Neh 5-7; John 19:31-42; Ps 105:23-36; Prov 30:15-19
