The God Shot: 1 Thessalonians 5:15

'Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else." (1 Thessalonians 5:15)

In his letter to the Church at Thessalonica, Paul's words sound a lot like Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. And as you wish that others would do to you do so to them." When people sin against us, our natural response is to sin in return. Paul and Jesus both say we can live out of a spiritual response instead of our natural response. We can repay evil with good, we can repay cursing with the humble prayer that is a genuine blessing. This is a hard calling, but Jesus did this very thing when He prayed for the men who crucified him. His Spirit can equip you with the kind of patience you need to bless your enemies today. He's where the joy is!