“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:32
Heavenly Father, one of my best friends has his 3 initials monogrammed on each of his shirts. I’d love to have KTF indelibly “monogrammed” on my heart—shorthand for “kind, tenderhearted, forgiving.”
No matter the circumstances, story, or details, your grace, not “tit-for-tat karma,” is to fuel and shape our relational style. As you relate to us in Jesus, so we are to seek to relate to others—when it’s “easy-breezy,” and when it’s really hard to do so. Help us, and forgive us, Father.
Forgive us for the moments, hours—even days when we settle into repaying indifference for indifference, stubbornness for stubbornness, coolness for coolness, snarky for snarky and petty for petty. That’s nothing more than childish karma.
We SO look forward to the Day when we will be “made perfect in love”—the eternal Day when we will finally, fully, and forever love perfectly (1 John 3:1-1). Until that Day, grant us …
Quicker repentances when we get triggered, annoyed, and prickly. Softer, kinder hearts when we feel prevailed upon, “missed,” or used. Gospel-responses, instead of defensive reactions, when our buttons get pushed.
Father—by the power of the Holy Spirit, keep us SO aware of your kindness towards us, our union with Jesus, and the riches of grace that it’ll be difficult to stay aggravated or resentful very long. KTF and So Very Amen.