I am reading a book called “When You’ve Been Wronged”, by Erwin W. Lutzer. Subtitle is “Moving from Bitterness to Forgiveness.” Some interesting points that I would like to share:
Everyone has either caused offense to another or has been wronged by another. We are sinners living in a sinful world, and we cannot avoid it. Some people get so hung up on being offended that it blinds them to the spiritually destructive effects that can come from that. Sometimes, when we have wronged someone else, we can get so hung up with the perceived overreactions or seemingly vengeful attitude of the person we wronged that we forget how it got started. We get blinded to our own faults. This, too, is spiritually destructive.
When we understand the depths of our depravity and our own sin, rather than defending it, we can go to the cross again and confess our sins. Then, having received again the assurance of our forgiveness, we are able to reconcile with others.
But what if the other person will not be reconciled? Then we are obligated as Christians to turn the other cheek–repay their evil with kindness, pray for our enemies and for those who persecute us. This is hard! Lutzer does a good job in guiding us with practical insights so that we can be better representatives for Christ. He uses Biblical examples–Cain the Destroyer, King Saul the Spear-thrower, Jacob the deceiver–to show how shattered relationship between God’s people can be dealt with, and how not to deal with them.
I recommend this book.
