How do you respond? In the flesh, I would carry that hurt around like a sick, little puppy needing to be nursed back to good health. I would pridefully attempt to defend myself. I would hold judgement over them, as if I was the Judge. This would create roots of bitterness in my heart and bring separation between me and my Heavenly Father. It would also destroy the relationship between me and that person. Often times, they never even know they've said something that hurts. In the Spirit, we are called to love and see others with the heart of the Father. Instead of being concerned with how their actions or words could bring us hurt, we look rather, into their heart and seek to find what could've possibly caused them pain to react in such a way. Their heart condition becomes more important than our feelings. Our desire becomes the Father's desire, that all be reconciled to Him. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) We begin to operate from a heart posture of humility and love rather than pride and defensiveness. We begin to truly see and understand the heart of the Father is to see all be reconciled to Him and that we all be reconciled to one another. Chances are very likely that the person has no idea they've even hurt you. When people are hurting inside their focus is typically on their own pain. As believers in Christ we are to walk in the Spirit, not the flesh. This allows us to not be hurt by others' words or actions, and rather, respond with a heart of love and ministry.
2 Corinthians 5 11Â Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12Â We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13Â For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14Â For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15Â and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
16Â From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.17Â Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18Â All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19Â that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20Â Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21Â For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
