Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:12-13

Have you ever been maliciously hurt by another person? How about a Christian? We all have. Regardless of who did and what happened, both of which stir around in our mind - how we respond is the most important thing about us.

Paul, who wrote to the Colossian church was clear about how to respond. We put off the old clothes of vengeance, retaliation, anger, hatred which lead to sin, and we put on a whole new wardrobe. It's his reminder to us that we dress in a new identity; a holy one. With this new identity comes new responses that include compassion, kindness, humility and the like. So as you go to "battle" today remember to confront the hurts, you have endured and return them with a new response out of a new identity!

DO THIS TODAY: Respond with compassion to those who hurt you.

PRAYER: God, I pray today that you bring pause to my gut response to retaliate when hurt by others. Help me to dress in holiness as one loved by who, so that I can better love those who cause me suffering and pain.