Tenderhearted

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭32‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A tender hearted child feels deeply and cries easily, and is a loyal and faithful friend.

I remember when I first came to know Jesus, I was soft towards the Lord’s hand and loving towards others. I was a great witness as a nurse. I remember seeing one particular lady several years later on the maternity ward. She greeted me as a grateful woman, as I had been a blessing to her. Unfortunately I had hardened in the interveening time, and she saw the difference. This memory is a sad one for me.

Why had I hardened? I had married and was experiencing difficulty. Difficulties can harden us. Remaining soft is the constant challenge. Remaining tender whilst facing difficulties is the biggest challenge.

I have had many times of tenderness, when in ministry I became very soft to the Lord, and later through times of great difficulty I became tender again to the Lord. People are always the challenge. It is they who test and stretch us. Forgiveness is a constant must as our Lord loves others also. The Lord’s Prayer includes forgiveness of others as the benchmark of our forgiveness.

Today at church I found my old ladies. One in particular had missed me greatly. She was very overjoyed at finding me again in Nepal. My flatmates told me how much of a blessing I am to them, I am also grateful for their love and attention. We do not see their histories with others, but God does.