In Matthew 5 Jesus started his first teaching, blessing people…and teaching us how to live blessed lives.

The conviction is strong reading Jesus’ first teachings. The part about “gift wrap your best coat and make a present of it” (Matthew 5:38-42 MSG) is a real whopper when you think of defending yourself against suit. “Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer.” Wow! Energies! Of prayer! I love this translation in The Message Bible. Think about all the energy we put into things in our lives. Our relationships, homes, jobs, looks, etc. What if we put that much energy into our enemies?

I feel convicted especially on this point. At a time I was most vulnerable, learning to be the parent of a fragile child, a close person in our lives offended us at every meeting and it became so unbearable that we invoked boundaries against this person. Looking back I wish I had kept turning the other cheek.

When you are struggling from PTSD and anxiety just making it through the day is so difficult. Then add in an outside source of stress who, seems not to understand how the earth shattering things happening every day in your life are seriously effecting you and seems more concerned about their own opinion of your life, and you want to run for the hills.

I hope God can work a miracle for this relationship in the future and I pray for God’s continued conviction.

Here is a link to read Matthew chapter 5 in The Message translation, I really enjoyed reading the whole chapter in this translation. https://www.bible.com/bible/97/mat.5