Yesterday I posted a piece about toxic relationships being a new age cop out. It came to my attention that perhaps I didn’t stress the power of God enough. People can feel extremely hurt and justified in maintaining their anger and resentment. They can harden their hearts and sear their conscience, so that they no longer feel conviction when the Holy Spirit brings to mind all of their complicity. We know from God’s word that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We also know that none are righteous.
For the person who is deeply hurt, this information doesn’t seem to help them, but it is the only information that will help them. They have to see their own sin and see how much in need they are of God’s grace, mercy, and love. When they can see their need, and it moves them to repent and believe in the work of Christ, then they can see the other person, and how weak and needy they are. When you can look at someone who has wronged you, hurt you, scarred you, and then see how you have done the same thing to Christ, and yet know that He has forgiven you, given you grace, mercy, and love, in light of what you know you justly deserve, you can then love the other person in like fashion.
God, who created everything, things known and unknown by us, the seed from which a redwood grows, the highest majestic mountains, to the lowest, deep cut valleys, to the blue sky where winged birds fly, and beyond to the vast reaches of space where we lose ourselves in contemplation of our smallness, this very God who knows everything about us, He is all powerful, and to think that He cannot change your heart? What hope is there if a sinner’s heart cannot be changed? Therefore, there is no wound so great that the saving balm of the gospel cannot use it for the glory of God.
Snyder's Soapbox 