“For years I viewed my interaction with the Bible as a debit account: I had a need, so I went to the Bible to withdraw an answer. But we do much better to view our interaction with the Bible as a savings account: I stretch my understanding daily, I deposit what I glean, and I patiently wait for it to accumulate in value, knowing that one day I will need to draw on it.” ChristianityPatienceBible Study Book:Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds Source: Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds
“Forgiving lavishly does not mean that we continue to place ourselves in harm's way. The Bible takes great pains to address the dangers of keeping company with those who perpetually harm others. Those who learn nothing from their past mistakes are termed fools. While we may forgive the fool for hurting us, we do not give the fool unlimited opportunity to hurt us again. To do so would be to act foolishly ourselves. When Jesus extends mercy in the Gospels, he always does so with an implicit or explicit, "Go and sin no more." When our offender persists in sinning against us, we are wise to put boundaries in place. Doing so is itself an act of mercy toward the offender. By limiting his opportunity to sin against us, we spare him further guilt before God. Mercy never requires submission to abuse, whether spiritual, verbal, emotional, or physical.” ChristianityForgivenessMercyAbuseChristian LivingAbusive RelationshipsAbused WomenMe Too Book:In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character Source: In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character