Find God's grace, forgiveness, and love in the face of opposition
As a believer, this is not a time to let your heart grow hard. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once shared what He heard Jesus declare to him, “I could hear the voice of Jesus saying, ‘I accept you, you are a recipient of my grace because it’s in your heart. And it is so well that it’s in thine heart’.” That truth is relevant today.
Life often places us in situations that feel beyond our choosing. Whether in society, in the workplace, or even within personal relationships, we sometimes encounter decisions made for us that we would never have chosen ourselves. It can feel unfair, as though the very path of our lives has been dictated without our consent.
And yet, even when life is not fair, it remains just. Not just in the sense of perfect outcomes, but in the deeper truth that God’s impartial hand is over all things, and that He sees and knows what we face.
What, then, is our response when confronted with these realities? When people think differently than us, when they act in ways that limit us, or even when they “choose for us” in ways we never desired, we are left with a decision of our own. Will we respond in bitterness, anger, or hatred? Or will we respond with grace, remembering that God Himself is watching how we treat those who oppose us?
The call of Christ is clear. We are to pray fervently that our hearts remain tender, that we would not become hardened against people or against God Himself. Scripture warns us about allowing bitterness to take root, because once it does, it corrupts not only our attitude but also our relationship with God. A hardened heart shuts out the very grace Jesus has placed within it.
I know firsthand how easy it can be to let negative thoughts creep in when wronged. Resentment feels natural. But the Word of God gives us a higher standard: “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). That means shutting down those whispers of vengeance and choosing instead the way of forgiveness and love.
Now is not the time to harden your heart. Now is the time to soften it in prayer, allowing God’s Spirit to keep you aligned with His grace. The condition of your heart matters, not only for you, but for the witness of Christ within you.