One of the most surprising moments in the entire Halo series was when both the Master Chief and the Arbiter found themselves captured by the hive mind behind the flood, the “Gravemind”. In that moment, these hostile adversaries came to the realization that there was a much greater threat to their existence than the disagreements that brought them to this moment of clarity… the activation of the Halo rings that would result in the destruction of every life form in the universe. The bitter war they had waged against each other had to be put behind them so they could work together and battle the true enemy that had manipulated both of them into this position of division, and by choosing to move forward in unity, they accomplished the mission that neither of them could have achieved without the other.

As long as humans walk this earth we will find areas of disagreement to divide us, but our battles are NOT with flesh and blood… they’re with demonic principalities that set us against each other with a mission of destroying us all. With our TRUE spiritual enemy in mind, let’s align our hearts with the true mission of Christ, not the petty conflicts that are designed to distract us with smaller battles while we lose the war for souls. He came to seek and save, and if we are truly following Him, that’s our priority today, too.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

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The surprise pairing of the Master Chief and the Arbiter that turned these bitter opponents into unlikely allies was one of the best parts of the original Halo trilogy… for both of them to be the heroes that their situations required, they had to put the pain they had previously caused each other behind them and choose to work together. While letting the past actions of the “villains” of each other’s respective stories go wasn’t easy, the mission at hand and the lives that were at stake were much larger than the grudge they were carrying. By releasing their grip on the anger and bitterness that they were carrying towards each other, their hands were finally opened up to receive the help and support the other could give.

Forgiveness is more than a willingness to simply let something go… it is an intentional decision to allow someone who has wronged us in the past to grow. Just like the example that Ananias and Saul showed us, it’s only when we choose to release each other from the burden of the sins that we’ve committed against each other that healing can occur for BOTH of the parties involved. When we show the same grace, mercy and forgiveness that the Lord has given to us to those who have acted in an adversarial manner to us in the past, we will often find the support we have been seeking and praying for was hidden in plain sight all along.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21

Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” Acts 9:13-15

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