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, but, as it has been written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell upon Me.”
“If, then, you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother holds whatever against you,leave your gift there before the altar, and go, first make peace with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
“Hear, O our Elohim, for we have become despised. And turn back their reproach on their own heads, and give them as a prey in a land of captivity!
“And no longer shall I let you hear the insults of the gentiles. And the reproach of the peoples you shall bear no more, and no longer cause your nations to stumble,” declares the Master יהוה.’ ”
And be kind towards one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as Elohim also forgave you in Messiah.
His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and wickedness.
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other if anyone has a complaint against another, indeed, as Messiah forgave you so also should you.
My enemies have reproached me, Like a crushing of my bones, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your Elohim?”
“And if your brother sins against you, go and reprove him, between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, in order to inherit a blessing.
Because ardour for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
You Yourself know my reproach, And my shame and my confusion; My adversaries are all before You.
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father shall also forgive you.“But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither shall your Father forgive your trespasses.
Therefore let us not judge one another any longer, but rather judge this, not to put an obstacle or a stumbling-block in our brother’s way.
Reproach has broken my heart and I am sick; I looked for sympathy, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none.
“Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.“And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day comes back to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
And repay to our neighbours sevenfold Their reproach, into their bosom, With which they have reproached You, O יהוה.
So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath,for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of Elohim.
“Do not judge, lest you be judged.“For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. And with the same measure you use, it shall be measured to you.
He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.
A man’s discretion makes him patient, And his adorning is to pass over a transgression.
It is good not to eat meat or drink wine, nor to do whatever by which your brother stumbles.
Elohim said, “If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, does he return to her again? Would not that land be made greatly unclean? But you have committed whoring with many lovers. And would you return to Me?” declares יהוה.
“And the sovereign shall do as he pleases, and exalt himself and show himself to be great above every mighty one, and speak incredible matters against the Ě
Then the high priest tore his garments, saying, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? See, now you have heard His blasphemy!
doing none at all through selfishness or self-conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.Each one should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
And above all have fervent love for one another, because love covers a great number of sins.
Then Kĕיהושע said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and displeasure, and uproar, and slander be put away from you, along with all evil.
So, then, let us pursue the matters of peace and the matters for building up one another.
does not behave indecently, does not seek its own, is not provoked, reckons not the evil,
Therefore, as chosen ones of Elohim, set-apart and beloved, put on compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, patience,bearing with one another, and forgiving each other if anyone has a complaint against another, indeed, as Messiah forgave you so also should you.
Having put aside, then, all evil, and all deceit, and hypocrisies, and envyings, and all evil words,
The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop fighting before it breaks out.
“Therefore, whatever you wish men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Torah and the Prophets.
And walk in love, as Messiah also has loved us, and gave Himself for us, a gift and an offering to Elohim for a sweet-smelling fragrance.
See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
And a servant of the Master should not quarrel but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
Beloved ones, let us love one another, because love is of Elohim, and everyone who loves has been born of Elohim, and knows Elohim.The one who does not love does not know Elohim, for Elohim is love.
But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.Let each one of us please his neighbour for his good, to build him up.
But the wisdom from above is first clean, then peaceable, gentle, ready to obey, filled with compassion and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.And the fruit of righteousnessis sown in peace by those who make peace.
Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.If possible, on your part, be at peace with all men.Beloved, do not revenge yourselves, but give place to the wrath, for it has been written, “Vengeance is Mine, I shall repay,” says יהוה.
A brother transgressed against is a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.
“You heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’but I say to you, do not resist the wicked. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for the use of building up, so as to impart what is pleasant to the hearers.
But set apart יהוה Elohim in your hearts, and always be ready to give an answer to everyone asking you a reason concerning the expectation that is in you, with meekness and fear,having a good conscience, so that when they speak against you as doers of evil, those who falsely accuse your good behaviour in Messiah, shall be ashamed.
Let your word always be with favour, seasoned with salt, so that you know how you ought to answer each one.
Brothers, if a man is overtaken in some trespass, you the spiritual ones, set such a one straight in a spirit of meekness, looking at yourself lest you be tried too.
And whom you forgive any matter, I do also. For indeed, if I have forgiven any matter, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the sight of Messiah,lest Satan should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his thoughts.
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those insulting you and persecuting you,
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is worthless.
He who is patient is better than the mighty, And he who rules over his spirit than he who takes a city.
For “He who wishes to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit,let him turn away from evil and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it.
יהוה is compassionate and showing favour, Patient, and great in kindness.He does not always strive, nor maintain it forever.He has not done to us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our crookednesses.
“Woe to the world because of stumbling-blocks! For it is necessary that stumbling-blocks come, but woe to that man by whom the stumbling-block comes!
But look to it, lest somehow this right of yours become a stumbling-block to those who are weak.
And He said to the taught ones, “It is inevitable that stumbling-blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they come!
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I am never again going to eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.
One of great wrath bears punishment; For if you rescue him, You only have to do it again.
“And I say to you that for every idle word men speak, they shall give an account of it in the day of judgment.“For by your words you shall be declared righteous, and by your words you shall be declared unrighteous.”
Already, then, there is a failure with you, that you have lawsuits among you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?But you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and that to your brothers!
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children, but bring them up in the instruction and admonition of the Master.
“Blessed are you when they reproach and persecute you, and falsely say every wicked word against you, for My sake.
Do not grumble against each other, brothers, lest you be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the door!
He who is patient has great understanding, But he who is short of spirit exalts folly.
with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,being eager to guard the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace –
When words are many, Transgression is not absent, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
All is permitted me, but not all do profit. All is permitted me, but not all build up.Let no one seek his own, but each one that of the other.
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah.
who, being reviled, did not revile in return; suffering, did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
In brotherly love, tenderly loving towards one another, in appreciation, giving preference to each other;
“A renewed command I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.“By this shall all know that you are My taught ones, if you have love for one another.”
The one who loves his brother stays in the light, and there is no stumbling-block in him.
A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And how good is a word spoken in its season!