2022-04-19
2 Korintiërs 5:19 NLV
God het ons geskep om ongebroke genootskap met Hom en mekaar te geniet. Dis hoekom Satan se eerste plan was om ons van God – en van mekaar – te skei. Deur dinge soos trots, hardkoppigheid, verwardheid, wrokkigheid en selfsug te gebruik, dryf hy ‘n wig tussen ons in en polariseer verhoudings. Wat as ‘n misverstand begin het, eindig dikwels op in woedende rusies of toksiese stiltes wat vir ure, dae en selfs jare kan aanhou.
Ons mislei onsself ook deur te dink dat dit niemand anders se besigheid is nie. Die effek daarvan kan nie bedwing word nie. Dit affekteer elke verhouding in ons lewens – net omdat ons vasbeslote is om te bewys dat ons reg en die ander persoon verkeerd is. Dis nie net ‘n sielkundige probleem nie; dis ‘n sondige probleem wat ‘n goddelike oplossing benodig!
Paulus skryf: ‘Die boodskap van versoening bestaan daarin dat God deur Christus die wêreld met Homself versoen het en nie die mense se oortredings teen hulle hou nie…’ Sonde het ons verhouding met God vernietig. Tog het Hy die inisiatief geneem deur Jesus as ‘n ‘…losprys vir baie mense…’ (Markus 10:45 NLV), te gee, om ons met Homself te versoen. Versoening beteken om dit wat saamhoort weer bymekaar terug te bring!
Let op: God hou nie ‘…die mense se oortredings teen hulle…nie.’ Hy het dit aan die kruis gekanselleer en opgehou om dit teen ons te hou. Dit het ook nie daar geëindig nie. ‘…Die boodskap van die versoening het Hy aan ons opgedra om te gaan verkondig’ (2 Korintiërs 5:19 NLV), en om ons verskille met mekaar op te los. Soms beteken dit dat jy jou woorde sluk, die versoener word, die inisiatief neem en die stryd beëindig. Is jy vandag gereed om dit te doen?
Sielskos: 1 Kor 4-6; Luk 24:25-35; Ps 43; Spr 10:10
2022-04-18
Kolossense 3:13 NLV
Indien jy ‘n suksesvolle verhouding wil bou, moet jy op die ander persoon se sterkpunte, in plaas van hulle swakpunte, fokus. Benjamin Franklin het gesê: ‘Hou jou oë voor die tyd wawyd oop en na die tyd halfmas oop.’ Dis ‘n fout om te vinnig ‘n lewenslange verhouding aan te knoop sonder om die tyd te neem om eers die ander persoon te leer ken. As jy nie voor die tyd omsigtigheid aan die dag lê nie, sal jy na die tyd probleme hê.
‘n Belangrike verhoudingsbeginsel lê egter daarin om te leer om te vergewe en te vergeet. Vergifnis kan baie moeilik wees wanneer die oortreding groot is. Klein oortredings kan gewoonlik maklik en vinnig vergewe word; groot oortredings verg ‘n proses van genesing. Totdat jy egter besluit om te vergewe en te vergeet, kan hierdie proses nie begin nie.
Paulus skryf: ‘Julle is die mense wat God uitgekies het… Daarom moet julle die volgende soos klere aantrek: deernis, vriendelikheid, nederigheid, sagmoedigheid, geduld. Verdra mekaar en… vergewe mekaar. Vergewe mekaar soos die Here julle vergewe het. Die heel belangrikste wat julle moet aantrek, is die liefde. Die liefde bind alles volmaak saam’ (verse 12-14 NLV).
Een skrywer stel dit so: ‘As jy nie van iets hou nie, verander dit. As jy dit nie kan verander nie, verander jou houding daar teenoor. Moenie kla nie.’ Met ander woorde, wanneer jy iets nie kan verander nie, bid vir genade en leer om daarmee saam te leef.
Hoekom is dit nodig dat ons vergewe en vergeet? Omdat God so sê! Jy is nie ontwerp om die fisiese en geestelike stres wat met wrokkigheid gepaard gaan, te dra nie. Buitendien: Jy mag dalk self vergifnis nodig hê voor die dag verby is (sien Galasiërs 6:1).
Sielskos: 1 Kor 1-3; Luk 24:13-24; Ps 56; Spr 10:8-9
Colossians 3:13 CEV
Building a successful relationship calls for focusing on the other person’s strengths instead of their weaknesses. Concerning marriage, Benjamin Franklin said, “Keep your eyes wide open beforehand and half shut afterwards.” It’s a mistake to rush into a lifetime relationship without taking time to get to know the other person. Without due diligence on the front end, you are sure to have problems on the back end. But an important relationship principle lies in learning to forgive and forget.
American politician Edward Wallace Hoch is attributed with saying, “There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it hardly behooves any of us, to talk about the rest of us.” Forgetting can be harder when the offense is great. Small offenses can usually be forgiven quickly; big ones involve a healing process. But until you decide to forgive and forget, the process can’t even start.
Paul writes: “Be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. Put up with each other… forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. Love is more important than anything… It is what ties everything… together” (vv. 12-14 CEV). One author puts it this way: “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.” In other words, when it comes to facing facts you can’t change, pray for grace and learn to live with them.
Why do we need to forgive and forget? Because God says so! You are not designed to carry the physical and mental stress that comes with harboring resentment. Added to which, “You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out” (Galatians 6:1 MSG).
Soul food: 1 Cor 1-3; Luke 24:13-24; Ps 56; Pro 10:8-9
Colossians 3:13 CEV
We shouldn’t rush into an important or potentially lifelong relationship without taking time to really get to know the other person. None of us are perfect, and we’re dealing with other imperfect people, so if we want to build successful, strong relationships, we’ll need to try focusing on the other person’s strengths instead of their weaknesses.
An important skill in relationship building is learning to forgive. Forgiveness can be harder when the offence is big. Small offences can usually be forgiven quickly. Big ones involve a healing process, but until we decide to forgive, the process can’t even start. Paul wrote: ‘Be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together’ (v.12-14 CEV).
One author puts it this way: ‘If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.’ In other words, when it comes to facing facts we can’t change, we should pray for grace in learning to live with them. (However, if we’re in any kind of relationship where we’re being hurt, emotionally, physically or mentally, we should seriously consider getting out and getting help from someone we can trust.)
Forgiving others and trusting God to deal with their faults is the right thing to do. We’re not designed to carry the physical and mental stress that comes with holding on to resentment. And on top of that, ‘You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out’ (Galatians 6:1 MSG). So let’s be willing to forgive.
1 Cor 1-3; Luke 24:13-24; Ps 56; Pro 10:8-9
2022-04-17
1 Corinthians 15:4 NLT
‘Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time… Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him’ (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NLT).
Well-respected people such as Christian authors C.S. Lewis, Lee Strobel, and Alister McGrath were atheists who ended up putting their trust in Christ after exploring and examining the evidence. If Jesus was who He claimed to be, God incarnate, taking upon Himself human form, dying for our sins and rising again, then they knew they had a life-changing decision to make: either accept Him or reject Him. And we must make that same decision.
Peter told his listeners on the day of Pentecost: ‘You nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life’ (Acts 2:23-24 NLT). They said, ‘What should we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God’ (Acts 2:37-38 NLT). That day three thousand souls were won to Christ and the church was launched. Jesus died for our sins and rose again to represent us as an advocate before God’s throne. If you haven’t already, make today the day to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, knowing that He’ll give you an abundant life now, and eternal life in heaven.
1 Cor 15; Luke 24:1-12
