Daily Devotions
When You Are Under Attack
Title: When You Are Under Attack
Reading for April 6: 2 Samuel 17-19
Weekly reading for April 1-7: Luke 5-9
"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."
Luke 6:37-38
When you are under attack, because of our natural defense mechanism, we tend to react in one of two ways: fight or flight. We either retaliate or we run away from the relationship.
Jesus calls us to love, and this will mean we must learn to reserve judgment. How do we do this?
1. Give your enemy the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they're having a bad day. Perhaps their anger is not really directed at you. Try to assume the best possible motives behind their actions.
2. Accept responsibility for your part in the conflict. It may be that they are more in the wrong than you are, but it doesn't matter. Over apologize. Make no excuses. Don't point the finger. Assume full and complete responsibility for your guilt.
3. Make mercy your default, not condemnation. Go into the conversation with the desire to forgive, not get justice.
Father, forgive us our debts, even as we have forgiven our debtors.
