In any relationship, truth is even more important than love. If we cannot trust a person, it is impossible to completely love them. There is always a nagging doubt in the back of our mind that erodes our feelings of love. So, without full trust and love, we live in fear and insecurity.
These negative feelings effect our whole family and our closest friends. Our resentment borders on bitterness and anger, which spoils the whole house (Ephesians 4:31-32; Hebrews 12:15). They surface from our subconscious every time some current event triggers the thoughts in our mind associated with them.
If our children take notice of the lies, which we tell to keep from hurting someone’s feelings, they soon deduce that telling lies is an accepted practice. They may start lying to us in order to stay out of trouble, to gain our attention, or to keep from having to explain their behavior to us.
God does not associate with liars (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). His Word challenges us not to forsake mercy and truth, but to inscribe these attributes on our heart and to make them an easily accessible commodity in our daily practice (Proverbs 3:3). It fits a godly nature to tell the truth, admit our faults, and to ask forgiveness when we bring disappointment into someone’s life (James 5:16).
We can do this with family, friends, and even our enemies. If we set a practice of expressing remorse over our rude behavior or words, and asking for pardon, others will feel freer to follow suit. When we listen to another’s confession without judgment, this makes the other person trust us even more (James 1:19-20).
We no longer over-react or attempt to give counsel to each other. Instead, we have a compassionate and understanding heart, which allows others to be honest with us, and us with them. Then, we can pray together to find God’s will for all of us in each situation.
- https://www.transformationprayer.org/preparing-journey-introduction/
Prayer:
Father God, remind us that trust is the foundation on which love blossoms. Our relationships flourish when others know that their secrets are safe with us, and that we will make time available to sit quietly and listen to their troubles without judgment or sermonizing. Help us to show Your love and compassion for others, and not to allow our schedule to get so full that we must abandon a family member or friend during their moment of crisis.
Teach us that living a life where we hold You as our primary source, and where our love and trust is evident to everyone, gives people the courage to come to us with their problems and decisions, and gives us the opportunity to sit quietly in prayer as Your Spirit ministers to their inner being and helps them to resolve any issues they are facing. We trust You with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, and we want to help others to do the same (Mark 12:30).
Thoughts for the Day:
Living a life too stuffed with busyness will thwart us from giving people the time they need to share with us the battles from their day or the indecision they are facing for their future. Instead, when we fully realize the brevity of life, we can go to God for a heart of flesh that embodies His peace, wisdom, and understanding.
- Ezekiel 36:26; Psalm 90:12
