Stand Firm
We have all had times in our lives when we have walked through valleys. They can be valleys of health issues, financial issues, relationship issues, to name a few. Whatever they are, they can be so deep and so long that we become depressed or despondent, wondering when they will ever end.
My deepest valley has been one of relationship with someone I am very close to. It has been a long valley, around 40 years. At first, I tried to apologize and ask forgiveness then I found out she was mad at me because of something someone else had done but she was taking it out on me. I later found out this was an ongoing pattern. Things got better for a while then we were right back where we started. At social occasions she would ignore me, or she would turn her back on me when she saw me coming. To make a 40-year story short, at this point she won’t talk to me, or look at me and she has turned her children and grandchildren against me. I never set out to cause her pain, never consciously tried to hurt her or be mean to her. I kept thinking why is this happening to us? After analyzing our relationship for all these years, I have come to the conclusion that my very existence causes her pain. I don’t know why and there seems to be nothing I can do about it even though I have tried.
I love the Lord and try to follow His example of loving other people, even those who are not kind to me. I have spent my life trying to do as Jesus taught in Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” But this situation took me to a bad place.
God knew my heart and provided a way out for me, as always, in a very meaningful way through bible studies, books, friends and family. He spoke to me through a study of King David’s life where I realized that even if someone is persecuting you God is always there supplying all your needs, even when you don’t know what they are. He showed me that we are all created in His image in Genesis 1:27 “The God, created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” We are therefore all image bearers of Christ. As such, this person who has caused me such great pain is also an image bearer of Christ therefore I needed to see as that, forgive her and treat her as such. With the lessons God has taught me over my lifetime, it was not her that needed to change, it was me. For me to see her as an image bearer of Christ my heart needed to change. The only way to change my heart has been through prayer and studying the Word. I have begun down that path. It is not a short path; 40 years of hurt doesn’t go away overnight or after a few prayers. I have to be in constant vigil against the snares of the enemy of my soul because this is a spiritual battle. If I let my guard down, I will be right back seeing her as the enemy and not an image bearer of Christ.
I have to remember Ephesians 6:11-13 every day. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”
Standing Firm in Jesus,
Leslee McLachlan