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In Romans 12:9-21, we see the marks or characteristics of a healthy, spirit-filled follower of Jesus. These are not things that we can do in our own strength, but they are the results of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. “I must decrease so that He may increase.”
In verses 17-18, “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” How many of us struggle with this? How many of us deal with this consistently in our daily lives?
How do we respond when someone hurts us, betrays us, rejects us? This will happen to every single one of us in life. I cannot change that this is going to happen, but with the Holy Spirit, I can respond better.
* Never pay back evil with more evil. When people do evil things to us, we need the Holy Spirit to empower us not to lower ourselves to their level. This is when we need to submit the painful situations to the Lord, and allow Him to deal with the situation and the person. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3: 5-6
* Live a life that people will see Jesus in the way we respond even to the difficult situations in life. How many of us lose our testimony because of the way we respond to people? We must have the Holy Spirit to empower us to respond in the difficult situations of life.
* Do all that I can do to live in peace with everyone! I am not responsible for what other people do, or how they respond to me, but I am responsible for my response and my reaction to the situation. Will people always want peace with me? No! But I can do all that I can do to walk in peace with others. That is when I need the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom and power to be able to leave the person and the situation to the Lord!
Lord, empower me to trust You in the difficult situations and people that You have allowed into my life! Help me to decrease so that You may increase in my life!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pastor Ronald Squibb has been the International Christian Center (ICC) Lead Senior Pastor at Staten Island, New York, since 2011. He draws on many experiences from his over 40 years as a pastor and from significant emotional experiences.
His new book, Following the Journey with Jesus, which he co-authored with Daniel McNaughton, was recently published and is receiving rave reviews. The daily devotion appears in this publication.
