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.
For even the Messiah did not please himself; rather, as the Tanakh says, ‘The insults of those insulting you fell on me.’
So if you are offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against you,leave your gift where it is by the altar, and go, make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer your gift.
Y’hudah was saying, “The strength of the people who carry loads away is starting to fail, and there is so much rubble that we can’t build the wall.”
“I will not permit the nations to shame you, or the peoples to reproach you any longer; and you will no more cause your nations to stumble,” says Adonai Elohim.’”
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted; and forgive each other, just as in the Messiah God has also forgiven you.
His mouth is full of curses, deceit, oppression; under his tongue, mischief and injustice.
Bear with one another; if anyone has a complaint against someone else, forgive him. Indeed, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive.
just as Ya‘akov’s sons were coming in from the field. When they heard what had happened, the men were saddened and were very angry at the outrage this man had committed against Isra’el by raping Ya‘akov’s daughter, something that is simply not done.
David said to the men standing with him, “What reward will be given to the man who kills this P’lishti and removes this disgrace from Isra’el? Who is this uncircumcised P’lishti anyway, that he challenges the armies of the living God?”
When David heard that Naval was dead, he said, “Blessed be Adonai for having taken my side in the matter of Naval’s insult and for having prevented his servant from doing anything bad. On the contrary, Adonai has caused Naval’s bad deeds to return on his own head.” Then David sent a message that he wanted to make Avigayil his own wife.
I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, under pressure by the enemy?
“Moreover, if your brother commits a sin against you, go and show him his fault — but privately, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.
Let those who put their hope in you, Adonai Elohim-Tzva’ot, not be put to shame through me; let those who are seeking you, God of Isra’el, not be disgraced through me.
not repaying evil with evil or insult with insult, but, on the contrary, with blessing. For it is to this that you have been called, so that you may receive a blessing.
For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;but if you do not forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will not forgive yours.
Therefore, let’s stop passing judgment on each other! Instead, make this one judgment — not to put a stumbling block or a snare in a brother’s way.
Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.That is how it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.On that day, if someone is on the roof with his belongings in his house, he must not go down to take them away. Similarly, if someone is in the field, he must not turn back —remember Lot’s wife!Whoever aims at preserving his own life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will stay alive.I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed — one will be taken and the other left behind.There will be two women grinding grain together — one will be taken and the other left behind.”They asked him, “Where, Lord?” He answered, “Wherever there’s a dead body, that’s where the vultures gather.”Also, if seven times in one day he sins against you, and seven times he comes to you and says, ‘I repent,’ you are to forgive him.”
Repay our neighbors sevenfold where they can feel it for the insults they inflicted on you, Adonai.
Therefore, my dear brothers, let every person be quick to listen but slow to speak, slow to get angry;Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations;for a person’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness!
“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will your Father in heaven keep giving good things to those who keep asking him!“Always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that sums up the teaching of the Torah and the Prophets.“Go in through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it;but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.“Beware of the false prophets! They come to you wearing sheep’s clothing, but underneath they are hungry wolves!You will recognize them by their fruit. Can people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?Likewise, every healthy tree produces good fruit, but a poor tree produces bad fruit.A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, or a poor tree good fruit.Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire!For the way you judge others is how you will be judged — the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.
Be angry, but don’t sin — don’t let the sun go down before you have dealt with the cause of your anger;
A fool’s anger is known at once, but a cautious person slighted conceals his feelings.
He who conceals an offense promotes love, but he who harps on it can separate even close friends.
People with good sense are slow to anger, and it is their glory to overlook an offense.
What is good is not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
[Adonai] says: “If a man divorces his wife, and she leaves him and marries another man, then if the first one marries her again, that land will be completely defiled. But you prostituted yourself to many lovers, yet you want to return to me?” says Adonai.
Do not be an obstacle to anyone — not to Jews, not to Gentiles, and not to God’s Messianic Community.
Let him offer his cheek to the one who strikes it, and receive his fill of insults.
“The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt himself and consider himself greater than any god, and he will utter monstrous blasphemies against the God of gods. He will prosper only until the period of wrath is over, for what has been determined must take place.
“I have heard the insults of Mo’av and the taunts of the people of ‘Amon, how they reviled my people and boasted of expanding their territory.
At this, the cohen hagadol tore his robes. “Blasphemy!” he said. “Why do we still need witnesses? You heard him blaspheme!
Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as better than yourselves —For he risked his life and nearly died working for the Messiah, in order to give me the help you were not in a position to give.look out for each other’s interests and not just for your own.
The Judeans replied, “We are not stoning you for any good deed, but for blasphemy — because you, who are only a man, are making yourself out to be God .”
Then Kefa came up and said to him, “Rabbi, how often can my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven times?”“No, not seven times,” answered Yeshua, “but seventy times seven!
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, violent assertiveness and slander, along with all spitefulness.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with feelings of compassion and with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.Bear with one another; if anyone has a complaint against someone else, forgive him. Indeed, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive.
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, of all deceit, hypocrisy and envy, and of all the ways there are of speaking against people;
Starting a fight is like letting water through [a dike] — better stop the quarrel before it gets worse.
“Always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that sums up the teaching of the Torah and the Prophets.
but if you go on snapping at each other and tearing each other to pieces, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other!
and live a life of love, just as also the Messiah loved us, indeed, on our behalf gave himself up as an offering, as a slaughtered sacrifice to God with a pleasing fragrance.
Keep pursuing shalom with everyone and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
See that no one repays evil for evil; on the contrary, always try to do good to each other, indeed, to everyone.
and a slave of the Lord shouldn’t fight. On the contrary, he should be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and not resentful when mistreated.
Beloved friends, let us love one another; because love is from God; and everyone who loves has God as his Father and knows God.Those who do not love, do not know God; because God is love.
So we who are strong have a duty to bear the weaknesses of those who are not strong, rather than please ourselves.And again it says, “Gentiles, rejoice with his people.”And again, “Praise Adonai, all Gentiles! Let all peoples praise him!”And again, Yesha‘yahu says, “The root of Yishai will come, he who arises to rule Gentiles; Gentiles will put their hope in him.”May God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and shalom as you continue trusting, so that by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh you may overflow with hope.Now I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and well able to counsel each other.But on some points I have written you quite boldly by way of reminding you about them, because of the grace God has given meto be a servant of the Messiah Yeshua for the Gentiles, with the priestly duty of presenting the Good News of God, so that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, made holy by the Ruach HaKodesh.In union with the Messiah Yeshua, then, I have reason to be proud of my service to God;for I will not dare speak of anything except what the Messiah has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience by my words and deeds,through the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Yerushalayim all the way to Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the Good News of the Messiah.Each of us should please his neighbor and act for his good, thus building him up.
He who belittles another lacks good sense, whereas a person of discernment stays silent.
But the wisdom from above is, first of all, pure, then peaceful, kind, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.And peacemakers who sow seed in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Repay no one evil for evil, but try to do what everyone regards as good.If possible, and to the extent that it depends on you, live in peace with all people.Never seek revenge, my friends; instead, leave that to God’s anger; for in the Tanakh it is written, “Adonai says, ‘Vengeance is my responsibility; I will repay.’”
It is harder to win an offended brother than a strong city; their fights are like the bars of a fortress.
“You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too!
Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me, I’ll pay him back what his deeds deserve.”
Let no harmful language come from your mouth, only good words that are helpful in meeting the need, words that will benefit those who hear them.
but treat the Messiah as holy, as Lord in your hearts; while remaining always ready to give a reasoned answer to anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you — yet with humility and fear,keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are spoken against, those who abuse the good behavior flowing from your union with the Messiah may be put to shame.
let your conversation always be gracious and interesting, so that you will know how to respond to any particular individual.
Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won’t be tempted too.
Anyone you forgive, I forgive too. For indeed, whatever I have forgiven, if there has been anything to forgive, has been for your sake in the presence of the Messiahso that we will not be taken advantage of by the Adversary — for we are quite aware of his schemes!
Anyone who thinks he is religiously observant but does not control his tongue is deceiving himself, and his observance counts for nothing.
He who controls his temper is better than a war hero, he who rules his spirit better than he who captures a city.
For “Whoever wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,turn from evil and do good, seek peace and chase after it.
Woe to the world because of snares! For there must be snares, but woe to the person who sets the snare!
Now as for a person whose trust is weak, welcome him — but not to get into arguments over opinions.
However watch out that your mastery of the situation does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
Yeshua said to his talmidim, “It is impossible that snares will not be set. But woe to the person who sets them!
To sum up, if food will be a snare for my brother, I will never eat meat again, lest I cause my brother to sin.
and whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the open sea!
A violent-tempered person will be punished; if you try to save him from it, you make things worse.
Moreover, I tell you this: on the Day of Judgment people will have to give account for every careless word they have spoken;for by your own words you will be acquitted, and by your own words you will be condemned.”
Actually, if you are bringing lawsuits against each other, it is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?Instead, you yourselves wrong and cheat; and you do it to your own brothers!
Fathers, don’t irritate your children and make them resentful; instead, raise them with the Lord’s kind of discipline and guidance.
Fathers, don’t irritate your children and make them resentful, or they will become discouraged.
“How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me!
Don’t grumble against one another, brothers, so that you won’t come under condemnation — look! the Judge is standing at the door!
Being slow to anger goes with great understanding, being quick-tempered makes folly still worse.
Understand that Adonai sets apart the godly person for himself; Adonai will hear when I call to him.
Always be humble, gentle and patient, bearing with one another in love,But this is not the lesson you learned from the Messiah!If you really listened to him and were instructed about him, then you learned that since what is in Yeshua is truth,then, so far as your former way of life is concerned, you must strip off your old nature, because your old nature is thoroughly rotted by its deceptive desires;and you must let your spirits and minds keep being renewed,and clothe yourselves with the new nature created to be godly, which expresses itself in the righteousness and holiness that flow from the truth.Therefore, stripping off falsehood, let everyone speak truth with his neighbor, because we are intimately related to each other as parts of a body.Be angry, but don’t sin — don’t let the sun go down before you have dealt with the cause of your anger;otherwise you leave room for the Adversary.The thief must stop stealing; instead, he should make an honest living by his own efforts. This way he will be able to share with those in need.Let no harmful language come from your mouth, only good words that are helpful in meeting the need, words that will benefit those who hear them.and making every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit gives through the binding power of shalom.
“Everything is permitted,” you say? Maybe, but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permitted?” Maybe, but not everything is edifying.No one should be looking out for his own interests, but for those of his fellow.
You then, why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For all of us will stand before God’s judgment seat;
When he was insulted, he didn’t retaliate with insults; when he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but handed them over to him who judges justly.
A fool gives vent to all his feelings, but the wise, thinking of afterwards, stills them.
Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect.
“I am giving you a new command: that you keep on loving each other. In the same way that I have loved you, you are also to keep on loving each other.Everyone will know that you are my talmidim by the fact that you have love for each other.”
The person who keeps loving his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him that could make him trip.
People take pleasure in anything they say; but a word at the right time, how good it is!