One incredible gift life presents us is the choice to build healthy and harmonious relationships. These connections are strengthen as we spend time learning to trust, love, respect, give and share our deepest desires. Put differently, relationships, makes us vulnerable. This opens doors to the possibility of being hurt. It can be so severe that you find yourself overwhelmed with tremendous emotional pain because you never expected this person to harm you. The results of such horrific suffering can leave you with feelings of powerlessness, bitterness, resentment, and seeking revenge.
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)
You may argue that you are justified in how you feel, while making your case by proclaiming:
I have a right to be angry
You don't understand. You don't know the pain they afflicted on me
I trusted you and you betrayed me
That drunk driver killed my child. I have a right to be outraged
You promised to always love me and be with me
Despite how painful your situation, or how ghastly the agony may be, the antidote to your recovery lies in your choice to forgive and release the offender. Oh, I know this goes against your nature, but it is of necessity to be free, healed and to take your lifer back. You may be thinking; 'That's easy for you to say. If you you were in my shoes, you'll feel the same way.' Well, my friend, I want you to 'stand in my shoes as I share the pain inflicted on me by others. I want you to read what I endured and how my choice to forgive was necessary for me to move forward to the present. You'll understand why I know emphatically that foreignness heals, delivers and sets you free.
Now, open your heart as I minister to you. I'll begin In 2004, when I relocated down south. I lost all my household possessions due to being overcharged by a moving company. They refused to allow me to use my credit card to pay the balance.
Another case of injustice happened several years ago, I was in an awful relationship, with what I thought was a good man I meet in church. The emotional, mental and verbal abuse was dreadful. You can must definitely verbally abuse without the use of profanity. Counseling with our Pastors was ineffective. Eventually, they betrayed my trust and used it as a means to force the person to leave their ministry.
Finally, the last experience of mistreatment I'll share was when I became an unemployed Substitute Teacher after faithfully servicing the same school district for more than 15 years. No, I wasn't laid off nor was I fired. It was a case of Abuse of Power. The first happened in 2004; and 2008-2012, the head of Human Resources used her position of authority to reject my request to transition to the position of Para Professional. My name was placed on the list by two different Directors of Special Education, yet, I was passed over. Several other Subs were either hired for the same position or to an office job. Though, I was happy for them, I was quiet aware I was deliberately being rejected, which prevented me from moving forward in my career.
Now, you may be thinking, 'If God is so good, why does He let bad things happen to good people?' My question to you is; "why do people blame God for the terrible events in a person's life which were afflicted by the hands of a willing participant who choose to hurt others? Much of injurious acts are the direct effects of another's willingness to sin.
Nevertheless, God loves us, and before any pain can touch our lives, it has to go thru His hands. Sometimes, He uses such as an opportunity for us to go thru it and eventually cling to Him. Surely, it can anchor our faith before being crushed beyond measure. You have a choice to either trust God no matter what or to harbor hatred. You can allow such to make you stronger and wiser, or you can become the victim. The choice is yours!
You are blessed to be a blessing. Bless those who hurt you by choosing to forgive rather than render evil for evil.
Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone.
(Romans 12:17)
God bless you on your Road To Recovery! Over the next few weeks, we will examine 8 Principles which would be beneficial to be healed and take your life back.
I pray the musical selection, Forgiveness by Matthew West ministers to you profoundly.
I welcome your likes, shares and comments as such are most encouraging!
Discover more about forgiveness in my book: Resource Lounge:
