Pathway to PeaceSample

 

Mount of Beatitudes – North Shore of the Sea of Galilee – Clear View 

Breaking Chains

Matthew 5:1-2  “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.”  

Jesus commenced His Sermon on the Mount by teaching The Beatitudes, that those who experience each of eight stated Christlike traits would be blessed, and how.  The Beatitudes also provide a perfectly sequenced biblical path to healing and forgiveness.  We will focus on the first two, as they establish a powerful foundation within us for this sacred pursuit.  

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”, the first Beatitude. Miller explains that “poor in spirit” refers to genuine humility, possessing an awareness of our own spiritual poverty. It lays to rest our self-reliance and self-assurance, and instead points to God as our strength (Miller, The Healing-Discipleship Ministry, 118-143). 

A poor spirit stops us short of elevating ourselves above others, even those who have hurt us.  It governs our tendency toward pride and removes a tremendous weight from our shoulders by giving judgement back to God.  It is a supernatural trait bestowed upon us only by the Spirit of God, and in experiencing a poor spirit we are promised ours “is the kingdom of heaven”.      

In and only by experiencing a poor spirit – or authentic God given humility, can we become enabled to experience true “mourning” spoken of in the second Beatitude, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”.  Jesus is referring to mourning all sin, including our own, and the visible manifestation of sin in our divided world. 

A poor spirit corrects our hearts and vision when observing our loud and broken world.  We mourn rather than condemn, and we press on through pain and division equipped to bestow grace and forgiveness upon others, who we see as our equals before God.  We mourn rather than become angry and imprisoned over wrongdoing.  

Our natural inward and outward response to sin and wrongdoing is replaced by a supernatural response of love, forgiveness, and grace, born of the Holy Spirit.  We are promised we “will be comforted” in our mourning.  And then we foster God’s unity in the world and enable healing.  Our own transformation is propelled.  Heaven celebrates.

This is the power of Biblical truth.  It is transformation.  Experiencing a poor spirit and truly mourning sin are acts of God that bring us closer to the point where we reflect Jesus, and ultimately experience healing, forgiveness, and the peace He desires for each of us.  

Stop.  Breathe.  Pray.  Go to God.  Forgive.  Be forgiven.  Seek healing.  Break Chains.  Reflect God.

Side note:  There are many excellent Bible Plans relating to forgiveness and healing.

How do you perceive those who have committed wrongs against you or your loved ones? What are your internal and external responses to troubling events, to wrongdoing, or to injustice?