Don't Hurt God

Fortunately for us, God is not motivated or moved or controlled
by His feelings. But that does not mean God has no feelings.

We are made in His image, in His likeness. Just as we have
feelings, and can be hurt, God also has feelings, as the
following verses show.

GENESIS 6:6 NIV
6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and
his heart was filled with pain.

EPHESIANS 4:30 KJV
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed
unto the day of redemption.

It is inevitable in human relationships that there will be
misunderstandings and hurts. When we are hurt, the natural
response is to strike back, to retaliate so they will know we
are hurt, and they will also hurt.

(Doing that, we hurt not only the other person -- but God
Himself. Just as a human parent is upset when they see their
child acting badly, God is hurt when we act badly.)

But the way of God is different. God's command to us is to walk
in divine love.

JOHN 13:34 NKJ
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;
as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

When you have been hurt, and are starting to retaliate, to
strike back, remember that when you walk out of love, it is God
that you hurt and disappoint.

(Often people don't even know they are hurting us. Most people
are not doing it intentionally.)

We can choose how we respond. As a child of God, we have God's
divine love deposited in our inner being. We can allow that
divine love inside us to respond.

ROMANS 5:5 NKJ
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has
been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given
to us.

After all the love God has shown you, does He really deserve to
be hurt?

SAY THIS: Just because someone hurts me, is not a good reason
for me to hurt God.