Hope for Repair By Christ Jesus.

Grudging.  Dictionary definition- 'done or given reluctantly, or doing or giving something reluctantly.

Murmuring.  Dictionary definition- 'a complaint made in a discreet or secretive way.

Disputing. Dictionary definition- 'strive against something, disagree, argue about something, opposing something.

In the battle against Satan's wiles we truly need to recognize that he will use everything and anything he can against us. He will disguise the evil we commit as being justified in some manner. He will present excuses, reasons, theories as to why the evil shouldn't be evil at all but something we can't but help to do. We are after all- only human. Why then does the word of God hold us to a higher standard? Why are we allowed to comprehend the truth right before Satan immerses it in his lies to distort it so it is no longer recognizable as being truth, but a variation there on which we can mold to fit our evil tendencies. Isn't is much better to admit the truth plain and simple and recognize how we fall short of that truth? Shouldn't we choose to die daily to the sins that would so easily beset us every opportunity they get- rather than excuse the sins away so we don't have to feel the weight of our need to die to sin constantly? We live our lives with that hope of perfection and Satan uses that to shame us over and over. The only way Satan can use that hope to shame us to the point of despair is if we are living with the hope of perfecting OURSELVES. If we are living with the idea that we will achieve a day out of the refiner's fire. If we are looking for a life here without temptation, without the pulls towards sin. We will find shame every single time we try to find the hope in ourselves apart from our hope in Christ.

I have a problem with being grudging, with murmuring and disputing. I do, and by the grace of God it is being revealed to me over and over again. Right now I can't imagine going a single day without an internal grudging, or silent complaint, and even without disagreeing with even the smallest of things. We have things we call the bane of our existence (a bit dramatic I know) but we do have those things and these are some of mine.  I'm admitting to this even though there is the possibility someone I know in person might read this (I've no clue who does or doesn't), and they'll know that while I may appear all nice and good, that's not always the case. I have what I'll call social anxiety and Satan would have me use this as an excuse for a lot of my grudging, murmuring etc. However, I know that I grudge, murmur and dispute even out of anxiety producing situations. I need the touch of the Savior on my heart to rid me of these things. I need to constantly seek forgiveness for my recognized failure to be what I know I should be. I need to keep my HOPE for repair in Christ.  Yes, I said hope for repair, because He is the One I need to fix in me and all the sin tendencies I have. By His grace He will fix what needs fixing and for what cannot be fixed in my own understanding, I need to trust He will complete what has been started in me. He is my HOPE, I'm not my own hope. He is my Redeemer, my Savior.  May my life belong wholly to HIM.

1Pe 4:9  Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 

2Co 9:7  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 

Php 2:14  Do all things without murmurings and disputings

Jas 5:9  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. 

Little Evils.

If someone wrongs you, do not wrong them in return.

Be known for your honesty.

Live in peace (if possible) with all people.

Don't seek revenge- the LORD will take care of the need for all vengeance.

If you have an enemy and he's hungry- don't withhold food from him- feed him. If you have an enemy that is thirsty- don't keep water from him- offering him a drink.  By feeding your enemy and giving your enemy something to drink you are revealing the love of God in you and prayerfully your enemy will desire to know how you could be kind to one who is so evil to you, barring that, your kindness will bring out even more evil from them and for that they will have to answer.

Do not let evil overcome you, don't become like your enemy- overcome the evil in the situation with the good that comes from God.

Rom 12:17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 

Rom 12:18  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 

Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 

Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 

I don't know when it begins, the need to hurt others because you've been hurt, but it is at the root of most bullying- not all, but most. I'm not just talking about school yard bullying, I'm talking about adult bullies as well, and there are a lot of them. Often the bully will not use his or her bullying against the one who caused their inner anger, but use that built up anger on others. They are not overcoming the evil with good, but increasing the evil with more evil.

That's what happens when anyone is evil towards us in any way. The subtle slight, the small dig, the humor wrought at your expense and brushed off as just kidding around, no harm done- all of that has a base in evil.

Evil at its core is the worst you can imagine, but evil tendrils from that solid core can stretch out far and thin making themselves into the smallest of hurts, pinpricks of emotional pain.

The tiniest of evils still must be overcome by good.

You don't have to wait around for a substantial evil to be committed against you before you choose to overcome evil with good. All you have to do is hold the door for one who pushed past you only a moment ago giving you a sneer of disdain. To the one who gives you that backhanded compliment- for example- That old shirt looks good on you. Acknowledge silently that yes, you've been slighted but are going to choose to ignore the slight, that is overcoming evil with good. 

So often, too often in fact, people excuse their evilness behind the guise of meaning well, of caring or else they wouldn't have said anything.

Little evils have a way of taking on disguises that the big evils could never pull off. Little evils dressed up in glitter and sunshine surround us and we in turn find it very easy to fill our lives with these pretty little evils.

We need to overcome all the evils in our lives, every single one without any excuse for their cute, harmlessness.

Loving our enemies, includes the loved ones who are enemies in disguise.

Overcome the evil with GOOD, not with more evil.  Payback is left to God not us. No return of evil for evil in anyway is a good thing. No spreading the evil in anyway is a good thing.

May God help us to overcome evil with good in all the ways we possibly can and if we find ourselves wanting to return evil for evil, please Lord, help us repent and seek forgiveness.

Please, Lord, we would be Yours, now and forever!  We believe, help Thou our unbelief! Teach us in the ways we should go. Let the Holy Spirit live in us in all things. You are our HOPE, our everlasting, eternal HOPE. Keep us from evil- Jesus prayed this for us, and we pray for this- deliver us from evil. YOURS is the kingdom, YOURS is the power, YOURS is the glory forever, God, forever!

Amen.