When you face hurts, you can find real comfort and guidance in Scripture. God's word reminds us that He is our refuge and strength, especially when things get tough.
Facing hurts with humility and forgiveness can truly heal your wounds and restore relationships. Loving your neighbor is a fundamental command, and that includes loving your enemies and blessing those who persecute you. I know it's a challenge, but it's part of what God calls us to as His followers.
The Bible teaches us that offenses are just a part of life. But it also encourages us to handle them in a way that honors God and leads to reconciliation. In Matthew 18:21-22, Jesus gives us key instruction on forgiveness: "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’"
This passage tells me that Jesus wants us to have hearts that don't hold onto bitterness and resentment. He wants us to forgive others, just as our Heavenly Father has forgiven us.
Even Christ did not live trying to please himself. It was like the Scriptures {\cf2\super [144]} said \{about him\}: “Those people that insulted you have also insulted me.” {\cf2\super [145]}
“So when you offer your gift to God, think about other people. If you are offering your gift before the altar, {\cf2\super [64]} and you remember that your brother has something against you,
then leave your gift there at the altar. Go and make peace with that person. Then come and offer your gift.
\{Nehemiah prayed to God. He said,\} “Our God, listen to our prayer. Those men hate us. Sanballat and Tobiah are insulting us. Make those bad things happen to them. Make them ashamed, like people taken away as prisoners.
“I won’t let those other nations insult you any more. You won’t be hurt by those people any more. You won’t take the children away from your people again.” The Lord my Master said those things.
Those people are always cursing.\par They are always saying bad things about other people.\par They are always planning evil things to do.\par
Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If another person does something wrong against you, then forgive that person. Forgive other people because the Lord forgave you.
In the fields, Jacob’s sons heard the news about what happened. They were very angry when they heard this. They were mad because Shechem had brought shame to Israel by raping Jacob’s daughter. The brothers came in from the fields as soon as they heard about the terrible thing Shechem had done.
David asked the men standing near him, “{What did he say?} What is the reward for killing this Philistine and taking away this shame from Israel? Who is this Goliath anyway? He is only some foreigner. [153] Goliath is nothing but a Philistine. Why does he think he can speak against the army of the living God?”
David heard that Nabal was dead. David said, “Praise the Lord! Nabal said bad things about me, but the Lord supported me. The Lord kept me from doing wrong. And the Lord caused Nabal to die because he did wrong.”
My enemy constantly insults me\par and strikes a deadly blow\par when he asks me,\par “Where is your God?\par \{Has he come to save you yet?\}”\par
“If your brother or sister does something wrong to you, go and tell that person what he did wrong. Do this alone with that person. If that person listens to you, then you have helped that person to be your brother again.
Don’t do wrong to a person to pay him back for doing wrong to you. Or don’t say something bad to a person to pay him back for saying something bad to you. But \{ask God to\} bless that person. Do this, because you yourselves were called to receive a blessing.
My strong feelings {\cf2\super [401]} for your temple are destroying me.\par I get the insults from people\par who make fun of you.\par
You know my shame.\par You know my enemies humiliated me.\par You saw them do those things to me.\par
Yes, if you forgive other people for the things they do wrong, then your Father in heaven will also forgive you for the things you do wrong.
But if you don’t forgive the wrong things people do to you, then your Father in heaven will not forgive the wrong things you do.
So we should stop judging each other. We must decide not to do anything that will make a brother or sister weak or fall into sin.
The shame has crushed me!\par I am about to die from shame.\par I waited for sympathy,\par but none could be found.\par I waited for some person to comfort me,\par but no person came.\par
So be careful!
If your brother does something wrong to you seven times in one day, but he says that he is sorry each time, then you should forgive him.”
God, punish the people around us\par seven times for what they did to us.\par Punish those people for insulting you.\par
My dear brothers and sisters, always be more willing to listen than to speak. Don’t become angry easily.
A person’s anger does not help him live right like God wants.
Don’t let me be ashamed and embarrassed.\par I have obeyed your Agreement. {\cf2\super [588]} \par
“Don’t judge other people, and God will not judge you.
If you judge other people, you will be judged in the same way you judge them. And the way you give to other people will be the way God gives to you.
When you become angry, don’t let that anger make you sin. And don’t continue to be angry all day.
A foolish person is easily upset. But a smart {\cf2\super [16]} person quickly forgives other people if they say something wrong.
Don’t be angry! Don’t get mad!\par Don’t become so upset\par that you also want to do bad things.\par
If you forgive a person who does wrong to you, then you can be friends. But if you continue to remember the wrong that he did, then it will hurt your friendship.
If a person is wise, that wisdom gives him patience. And it is wonderful when he forgives people who do wrong to him.
If a person thinks he is better than other people, force him to leave. When that person leaves, trouble will leave with him. Then arguments and bragging will end.
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine if that makes your brother or sister fall into sin. It is better not to do anything that will make your brother or sister sin.
“If a man divorces his wife,\par and she leaves him\par and marries another man,\par can that man come back to his wife again?\par No! If that man went back to that woman, {\cf2\super [14]} \par then that land would become ‘dirty.’\par Judah, you acted like a prostitute\par with many lovers (false gods).\par And now you want to come back to me!”\par This message was from the Lord.\par
That person should turn his cheek\par to the one that hits him.\par That person should let people insult him.\par
What great blessings there are for the people that work to bring peace!\par God will call them his sons and daughters.\par
“‘The northern king will do whatever he wants. He will brag about himself. He will praise himself and think that he is even better than a god. He will say things that no one has ever heard of. He will say those things against the God of gods. He will be successful until all the bad things have happened. What God has planned to happen will happen.
The Lord says, “I know what the people of Moab and Ammon did! Those people embarrassed my people. Those people took their land to make their own countries bigger.
When the high priest {\cf2\super [419]} heard this, \{he was very angry\}. He tore his clothes and said, “This man has said things that are against God! We don’t need any more witnesses. You all heard him say these things against God.
When you do things, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble and give more honor to other people than to yourselves.
Don’t be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of other people, too.
The Jews answered, “We are not killing you for any good thing you did. But you say things that are against God. You are only a man, but you say you are the same as God! That is why we are trying to kill you with rocks!”
If a person speaks words without thinking, then those words can hurt like a sword. But a wise person is careful with the things he says. His words can heal those hurts.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, when my brother won’t stop doing wrong to me, how many times must I forgive him? Should I forgive him as many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, you must forgive him more than seven times. You must continue to forgive him even if he does wrong to you seventy-seven times. {\cf2\super [256]} ”
People who love your teachings\par will find true peace.\par Nothing can make those people fall.\par
So let us try as hard as we can to do the things that make peace. And let us try to do the things that will help each other.
Love is not rude, love is not selfish, and love does not become angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it.
God has chosen you and made you his holy people. {\cf2\super [18]} He loves you. So always do these things: Show mercy to people; be kind, humble, gentle, and patient.
Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If another person does something wrong against you, then forgive that person. Forgive other people because the Lord forgave you.
So don’t do anything to hurt \{other people\}, don’t lie, don’t do things to fool people, don’t be jealous, don’t say bad things about people. Put all these things out of your life.
If you start an argument, it is like breaking a hole in a dam. So stop the argument before it becomes bigger and bigger.
“Do to other people the same things you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law \{of Moses\} and the \{teaching of the\} prophets. {\cf2\super [83]}
If you continue hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful! You will completely destroy each other.
Live a life of love. Love other people the same as Christ loved us. Christ gave himself for us—he was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice {\cf2\super [37]} to God.
Try to live in peace with all people. And try to live lives free from sin. If a person’s life is not holy, {\cf2\super [160]} then he will never see the Lord.
Be sure that no person pays back wrong for wrong. But always try to do what is good for each other and for all people.
A servant of the Lord must not argue! He must be kind to every person. A servant of the Lord must be a good teacher. He must be patient.
Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. The person who loves has become God’s child. And so the person who loves knows God.
The person that does not love does not know God, because God is love.
We are strong with faith. So we should help the people who are weak. We should help those people with their weaknesses. We should not try to please ourselves.
Each of us should please other people. We should do this to help them. We should try to help them be stronger in faith.
A person without good sense says bad things about his neighbors. But a wise man knows when to be quiet.
But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good things for other people. This wisdom is always fair and honest.
People who work for peace in a peaceful way get the good things that come from right living.
Stop doing bad things!\par Do good things.\par Work for peace.\par Run after peace until you catch it.\par
If someone does wrong to you, don’t pay him back by doing wrong to him. Try to do the things that all people think are good.
Do the best you can to live in peace with all people.
My friends, don’t try to punish people when they do wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. It is written: “I am the One who punishes; I will pay people back,” {\cf2\super [132]} says the Lord.
If you insult your friend, then he will be harder to win back than a city with strong walls. And arguments separate people like palace gates with strong bars across them.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ {\cf2\super [70]}
But I tell you, don’t stand against an evil person. If someone hits you on the right cheek, then turn and let him hit the other cheek too.
Don’t say, “He hurt me, so I will do the same to him. I will punish him for the things he did to me.”
Ask God to bless those people that say bad things to you. Pray for those people that are mean to you.
But you should keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer every person who asks you to explain about the hope you have.
But answer those people in a gentle way with respect. Always be able to feel that you are doing right. When you do that, the people who say bad things about you will be made ashamed. They say these bad things about the good way you live in Christ. They will be made ashamed for the bad things they said about you.
Forgive the sins we have done,\par the same as we have forgiven the people\par that did wrong to us.\par
People who think they are better than other people only cause trouble. But people who listen to the things other people tell them are wise.
When you talk, you should always be kind and wise. Then you will be able to answer every person in the way you should.
Brothers and sisters, a person in your group might do something wrong. You people who are spiritual should go to the person who is sinning. You should help to make him right again. You should do this in a gentle way. But be careful! You might be tempted to sin, too.
If you forgive a person, then I also forgive that person. And what I have forgiven—if I had anything to forgive—I forgave it for you, and Christ was with me.
I did this so that Satan (the Devil) would not win anything from us. We know very well what Satan’s plans are.
Patient talk can make any person change his thinking, even a ruler. Gentle talk is very powerful.
Kind words are like a Tree of Life. {\cf2\super [19]} But lying words will crush a man’s spirit.
You might think you are religious (good). But if you say things you should not say, then you are fooling yourself. Your “religion” is worth nothing.
It is better to be patient than to be a strong soldier. It is better to control your anger than to take control over a whole city.
\{The Scripture {\cf2\super [24]} says,\}
That person must stop doing evil\par and do good;\par that person should look for peace\par and try to get it.\par
The Lord is compassionate and merciful.\par God is patient and full of love.\par
The Lord does not always criticize.\par The Lord does not stay angry at us forever.\par
We sinned against God\par but he didn’t give us\par the punishment we deserved.\par
I feel sorry for the people in the world because of the things that make people sin. Those things must happen. But it will be very bad for the person that causes those things to happen.
Don’t refuse to accept into your group a person that is weak in faith. And don’t argue with that person about his different ideas.
If a person is angry with you, give him a gift in secret. A gift that is given in secret can stop great anger.
Jesus said to his followers, “Things will surely happen that will make people sin. But it will be very bad for the person that makes this happen.
“If one of these little children believes in me, and another person causes that child to sin, then it will be very bad for that person. It would be better for that person to have a millstone {\cf2\super [251]} tied around his neck and be drowned in the deep sea.
A person with a short temper must pay the price. The more you get him out of trouble, the worse he becomes.
And I tell you that people will have to explain about every careless thing they have said. This will happen on the day of judgment.
The words you have said will be used to judge you. Some of your words will make you right, but some of your words will make you guilty.”
The lawsuits that you have against each other show that you are already defeated. It would be better for you to let someone do wrong against you! It would be better for you to let someone cheat you!
But you yourselves do wrong and cheat! And you do this to other believers \{in Christ\}!
Fathers, don’t make your children angry. But raise your children with the training and teaching of the Lord.
Fathers, don’t frustrate your children. If you are too hard to please, they might want to quit trying.
“People will say bad things against you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things against you because you follow me. But when people do those things to you, know that God will bless you.
Brothers, and sisters, don’t complain against each other. If you don’t stop complaining, you will be judged guilty. And the Judge is ready to come!
A patient person is very smart. A person who is easily angered shows that he is a fool.
\{If something is bothering you,\}\par you can be angry, {\cf2\super [16]} \par but don’t sin.\par Think about those things\par when you go to bed,\par and then relax. {\cf2\super [17]} \par \i (SELAH {\cf2\super [18]})\i0 \par
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient and accept each other with love.
You are joined together with peace through the Spirit. {\cf2\super [28]} Do all you can to continue together in this way. Let peace hold you together.
A person who talks too much gets himself into trouble. A wise person learns to be quiet.
“All things are allowed.” Yes. But not all things are good. “All things are allowed.” Yes. But some things don’t help \{others\} grow stronger.
No person should try to do the things that will help \{only\} himself. He should try to do what is good for other people.
So why do you judge your brother \{in Christ\}? Or why do you think that you are better than your brother? We will all stand before God, and he will judge us all.
People said bad things to Christ, but he did not say bad things to them. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten (speak against) the people. No! Christ let God take care of him. God is the One who judges rightly.
A foolish person becomes angry easily. But a wise person is patient and controls himself.
If a person is living a good life, pleasing to the Lord, then even that person’s enemies will be at peace with him.
The tongue can speak words that bring life or death. And people who love to talk must be ready to accept what it brings.
Love each other in a way that you feel close to each other like brothers and sisters. You should want to give your brothers and sisters more honor than you want for yourself.
“I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other like I loved you.
All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”
The person that loves his brothers and sisters lives in the light, and there is nothing in that person that will make him do wrong.
A person is happy when he gives a good answer. And the right word at the right time is very good.