Over the years there has been a wall built, brick by brick, offense by offense, slight by slight, frustration by frustration till a point that it almost becomes impossible to tear down the wall. The bible speaks to this:
An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars. Proverbs 18:19
You think that the bars are keeping me out? No the bars keep them in. They are INSIDE the fortified city. The wound causes them to hide from that which would allow them to heal. The lies they have believed have put them in chains. There is no easy way to get them free from the chains that bind. Offense is a shackle and a strong chain.
Paul the Apostle gives some advice to the Corinthians after the man who was treated as a Gentile in 1st Corinthians..
Forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
2 Corinthians 2:7-11
It is most interesting according to this that a wounded heart is the fertile soil for someone to be taken advantage by satan. That we not be ignorant of his desire to divide us.
The difficulty comes when the cause seems just. When the argument for continued woundedness as our justification is continued into the conversation. Once again the Word speaks to this:
The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
Proverbs 18:17
And there is the rub. No cross examination of an argument is allowed when a wounded heart is involved. The cause seems just but without examination will remain in error and defeat. Just try to reason with one that has a wounded heart. You will find them unable to review and revise what they think or believe because the wound is too deep.
This is the case with much of what we see as divide in the Body of Christ. It is wounded hearts versus those who wonder why. It is embraced pain versus those who want to heal.
Last night as I was part of an exercise at Crusaders, I was accepted fully. I am no longer an outsider. I am one of the tribe in full. How did that happen? One brick at a time. Over many years. Yes my capacity for outrage and anger had to be destroyed as the bricks came down from the wall. Yet here I am.
Here's the prophetic truth from the Father:
"This is a time where walls must come down, coming down without the capacity to keep just a little distance as comfort. These walls are an offense unto me says the Lord. I have already destroyed the dividing wall of separation. You are precious to me.. You are my favorite. Do not lock me out by your desire to be right or your right to continue to be wounded. I am reaching out to you now. You have nothing to fear except the exposure of who you really are. When you discover the glory in that you will be amazed. The world has opinions, I am total acceptance of you just as you are. No plea required. Enjoy the grace I shower on you, it covers all the sin you see in yourself and in others. Do not expect retribution in the flesh. That is impossible. No one has ever been able to define it. Eye for an Eye is part of a system crucified at the cross. When you look for some kind of restitution for hurt.. you are calling on a system I already destroyed."
I know this is true and if you have a wounded heart.. find grace, find peace, find goodness at the blood of Jesus, His blood flows thru you and my veins as if we are one.. for we are. One flesh, one body, one heart. Anything other than that is not who HE is.
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