James 5:13,16 (NKJV)Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms…. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Conflicts are inevitable in Christian communities due to the different personalities, cultures, backgrounds, and social standings. If we are offended by someone’s remark or action, we must guard against having a pity party, and talking behind their backs. Instead, we should follow God’s way of resolving the conflict.
It will help us if we reposition our lives based on the Bible. We need to practise walking in love if we have conflicts with fellow Christians. Scripture says that it is the responsibility of every believer to pray when they are suffering. Therefore, pray for the person, but also check our hearts if we are overly sensitive to the issue. Then, we should approach the person and talk to them face-to-face to resolve the comment or action that has caused us harm. If the person refuses to settle, then bring a godly person to talk to them. The last resort is to call for the pastor to intervene. Normally, the case could be resolved easily between two spiritually mature Christians who are willing to lay down their lives and their rights to be offended, crucify their flesh, and walk in love.
Thereafter, take time to pray for one another over the unpleasant experience and close the gap so that the devil cannot divide and conquer. It is when we deal with the misunderstandings squarely, confess the trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that we can be healed. No amount of hurt and pain that people have brought into our lives can be fully healed unless we confront it and bring closure to the issue, and pity parties only prolong it by keeping the wound open by dwelling on the problem. It is better to deal with it and bring closure to what is keeping us down and oppressed through the help of God.
Because we live in a fallen and broken world, we will inevitably be hurt by other people, but the more weight we ascribe to other people’s opinions, words, and actions, the more easily we will be hurt and offended. If that person is yourself or a loved one, don’t dwell in a pity party but look to God and draw strength from Him. We need to choose God’s view of us and what He says about us over what other people say, and God has already chosen to see us in Christ. Therefore, if God’s opinion matters the most to us, what other people think and say doesn’t matter as long as our conscience is clear regarding our speech and actions. The new creation realities of who we are in Christ, what we have in Christ, and what we can do in Christ are liberating!
Sermon Series: UP! CG Campaign 2023 (Part 1)
哎哟！你是否受过伤？
雅各书5:13，16你们中间有受苦的呢，他就该祷告；有喜乐的呢，他就该歌颂。所以你们要彼此认罪，互相代求，使你们可以得医治。义人祈祷所发的力量是大有功效的。
在基督徒社群中的冲突是不可避免的，因为我们有不同的性格，不同的文化，不同的背景和社会地位。如果我们被某人的言论或行为冒犯了，那么我们应该做的就是遵循神的道以解决冲突，而不是开一个可怜派对，在他人背后嘀咕抱怨。
假如我们按圣经的教导重新定位我们的生活，我们会获得帮助。如果我们与主内弟兄姐妹发生冲突，我们需要操练行走在爱里。经上说每一个信徒在患难中都有责任祈祷。因此，为对方祈祷，同时检查我们的内心是否过于敏感。我们应该接近那个人，和他或她面对面地谈谈，解决对我们造成伤害的言行。如果这个人拒绝和解，那么带一个敬虔的弟兄或姐妹去和他们谈谈，最后的办法是叫牧师来干预。通常情况下，如果双方在灵性上都很成熟，愿意放下自我，放弃自己的权利而被冒犯，把自己的血气钉在十字架上，并在爱中行走，这个事件就很容易解决。
此后，花时间就这段不愉快的经历为彼此祈祷，并弥合破口，使魔鬼不能分裂和征服。只有当我们直面误解，坦然承认彼此的过错，并为彼此祈祷，我们才会痊愈。人们给我们生活带来的伤害和痛苦无法完全治愈，除非我们直面它，给这个问题画上句号,可怜派对只会驻留在问题上，让伤口敞开着拖延问题的解决。最好籍着神的帮助来处理问题，为那些让我们沮丧并压制我们的问题画上句号。
因为我们生活在一个堕落破碎的世界，我们不可避免会被其它人伤害，但是我们越看重其它人的观点、言语和行为，我们越容易受到伤害。假如那个人是你自己或你爱的人，不要沉溺于可怜派对，而要仰望神从祂那里支取力量。我们需要选择神如何看我们以及祂如何说我们，而不是其他人的说法，而神已经选择了在基督里看我们。如果神的意见对我们来说最重要，那么别人怎么想，怎么说并不重要，只要我们的良知清楚自己的言行。我们在基督里是谁，我们在基督里有什么，我们在基督里能做什么，这些新造之人的现实能使我们自由。
天天向上! 细胞小组活动 2023（第1部分）
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