Wounds from a Friend

Proverbs 25-27; Romans 15 

“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

Proverbs 27:6

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 15:5, 6

There are few challenges as difficult as “wounds” from a friend. We quickly lose energy, endurance, and encouragement when those closest to us wound us. How we respond to these wounds can often determine whether we continue in our ministry assignments, and even whether the teams and ministries we serve will survive.

In painful, personal wounding through conflict, do we respond to one another from a position of trust or mistrust?

Do we respond in kind, or do we go to God who gives endurance and encouragement?

It is in unity that the Spirit of God anoints teams with his power to love this broken world. This is a costly unity that endures, despite wounding, through the grace of God received and shared. This kind of unity in our common mission glorifies God.

“Lord Jesus, you are my healer. You were wounded for my healing. I pray for the grace to love and forgive that many would be healed, for your glory.”