― -anonymous
Often times when a verse in the bible trips me up, God will use an example from my own life that helps me to know His heart. Verses that have bothered me are
Matthew 7:22-23
New King James Version (NKJV)
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
He explained this is a heart issue. For instance the man who goes to work every day, provides for his family, says he loves his wife, and even brings her flowers and then one day slams the words, "I've been having an affair." in her face. Obviously a part of his heart belonged to something he could not give up, even though he says he loves his wife. We hear it all the time. Affairs, addictions, etc. We find out our best friend has been talking behind our back. Maybe you find out your married to a serial rapist. There is even a show on TV about people who find out they did not know the person they were married to at all.
We believe those words, "I love you" but they leave out the "but I love ??? too much to give it up for you." Or they use those words to get what they want from you and then move on. They live a lie. Over and over our hearts break for people who have been so deceived. God knows everything, so He is more like the spouse who knows the affair is going on and stays hoping they will change and turn their heart back. But there is a day that is too late.
Many times through healing many wounds, I have felt like my heart will never line up with Jesus. On the subject of forgiveness, why do I find it so hard to forgive, when Jesus seemed to find it so easy and what he went through was worse. When I want to hate people for what they have done in this world and He seems to find love so easy. When my heart says I will never be good enough or how could Jesus love me and He says, "You are good enough and it's easy to love you." Then He shows ways that our hearts line up through the pain of rejection. When I am embarrassed because I didn't give up faster on someone who doesn't care and then He shows me His pursuit of those who turn away. Here I thought the only way were alike was it seems we both often show up at the last minute. Ha.
Deception is one of the deepest wounds we can receive from someone we care about and forgiving can seem almost impossible. We hear it many times, It wasn't what you did, it was that you lied about it. I think we have all been through this at least once in our lives and maybe others don't understand why the pain runs so deep. I have also heard it said many times, "I thought their marriage/friendship/relationship was awesome." But nobody can know the relationship between two people, but those two people. And when only one of them know the whole truth, that's a broken heart, that's when we say, "I never knew you, depart from me."
“Bit by bit, Dr. Driscoll helped me to peel away the layers of protection I had built up over the years. The process was not that unlike the peeling of an onion, which also makes us cry. It has been a painful journey, and I don't now when it will end, when I can say, “OK, it's over.” Maybe never. Maybe sooner than I know. I recently told Dr. Driscoll that I feel the beginnings of feeling OK, that this is the right path.”
― Charles L. Bailey Jr., In the Shadow of the Cross
He explained this is a heart issue. For instance the man who goes to work every day, provides for his family, says he loves his wife, and even brings her flowers and then one day slams the words, "I've been having an affair." in her face. Obviously a part of his heart belonged to something he could not give up, even though he says he loves his wife. We hear it all the time. Affairs, addictions, etc. We find out our best friend has been talking behind our back. Maybe you find out your married to a serial rapist. There is even a show on TV about people who find out they did not know the person they were married to at all.
We believe those words, "I love you" but they leave out the "but I love ??? too much to give it up for you." Or they use those words to get what they want from you and then move on. They live a lie. Over and over our hearts break for people who have been so deceived. God knows everything, so He is more like the spouse who knows the affair is going on and stays hoping they will change and turn their heart back. But there is a day that is too late.
Many times through healing many wounds, I have felt like my heart will never line up with Jesus. On the subject of forgiveness, why do I find it so hard to forgive, when Jesus seemed to find it so easy and what he went through was worse. When I want to hate people for what they have done in this world and He seems to find love so easy. When my heart says I will never be good enough or how could Jesus love me and He says, "You are good enough and it's easy to love you." Then He shows ways that our hearts line up through the pain of rejection. When I am embarrassed because I didn't give up faster on someone who doesn't care and then He shows me His pursuit of those who turn away. Here I thought the only way were alike was it seems we both often show up at the last minute. Ha.
Deception is one of the deepest wounds we can receive from someone we care about and forgiving can seem almost impossible. We hear it many times, It wasn't what you did, it was that you lied about it. I think we have all been through this at least once in our lives and maybe others don't understand why the pain runs so deep. I have also heard it said many times, "I thought their marriage/friendship/relationship was awesome." But nobody can know the relationship between two people, but those two people. And when only one of them know the whole truth, that's a broken heart, that's when we say, "I never knew you, depart from me."
“Bit by bit, Dr. Driscoll helped me to peel away the layers of protection I had built up over the years. The process was not that unlike the peeling of an onion, which also makes us cry. It has been a painful journey, and I don't now when it will end, when I can say, “OK, it's over.” Maybe never. Maybe sooner than I know. I recently told Dr. Driscoll that I feel the beginnings of feeling OK, that this is the right path.”
― Charles L. Bailey Jr., In the Shadow of the Cross
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