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Loving Others Making Amends

Thursday April 5, 2018

As we recover from addiction, it is emotionally draining when we come to the place of dealing with the harm we have caused others.  We’ve lived for a long time blaming others for the way they treated us.  What we often fail to see is how our own actions, resulting from the anger and fear we felt, also passed on harm to others. Regardless of the reason for our behaviour, we are encouraged to make a list of those we have harmed and become willing to make amends to all of them.

You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.  (Matthew 5:22-23 MSG)

Deep rooted unforgiveness results in angry outbursts and rage towards others.  Sometimes even those who genuinely love us suffer because of what is going on at a deep level within us.  We may feel sorry for what we did or said to a person after an abusive outburst, and perhaps have apologized, but to fully make amends we need to understand what causes us to behave as we do.  Unless we come to terms with the root of our problem we will again behave in the same way and cause even more harm.

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  (Matthew 22:35-40 NIV)

Making amends is a test of our integrity to honour others above ourselves.  Let’s consider who we are today and to whom we need to make amends.

Prayer: Gracious God, Please heal me from the wounds that I carry and enable me to forgive those who have harmed me.  Help me also make amends to those I have harmed.  Amen


©2018 Partners in Hope  
More information on this and other related topics @ http://www.partnersinhope.ca/life-with-god-in-recovery-resources/

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