Hurt people, hurt people. Heal people, heal people. Hurt but healed people help heal hurt people.
I saw this post shared on Facebook by Donnie McClurkin in early December 2022, and I thought how profound; and this is true. One problem we are facing in this world is people are hurting. Likewise, many have no clue how to receive healing. Still, some will not even acknowledge they are hurting. I believe much of the anger and ill feelings spilling out across the world are from those who are angry and hurting. In a conversation with my dentist several weeks ago, we agreed this pandemic has brought to the surface what is inside someone's heart. Somebody can be born with a malfunctioning heart or a disability. Still, anger, malice, and even racism come from the heart. Likewise, does many of the actions we see in others. It is all about the heart posture.
So, how do we mend a broken heart?
How can we help heal a soul scared of the pains of the past, misinformation, and hostility?
How do we help a country overcome social unrest and political upheaval? I know from experience, despite how horrible someone mistreated you; God can heal you.
That time of maltreatment could have come from your childhood or something that someone did during; your adulthood. It could have happened at your job or in a relationship. Whatever; it was left you feeling vulnerable, discarded, and bruised. Too often, people carry these pains and deny they have a problem while smoldering in bitterness. It causes their heart to become hardened and callous. So, they refuse to forgive and go from one relationship to the next, leaving behind a trail of mayhem and destruction. Likewise, it spills out into communities, countries, and nations. Beloved, there is an answer, and his name is Jesus. He has and will continue to put someone in your path to help you receive the healing you; so desperately need.
Today, it comes in the form of this inspirational reading. Because He healed me when the experience, I went through should have left me bitter and angry. The offender intended to crush my spirit and ruin my life. And for what? For him to have total control of me. I even fought for my sanity and took back my life. Likewise, I used it as an avenue to teach forgiveness and to live this out in my actions.
So, hurt but healed people can be a vessel God uses to heal people. There is no greater joy and freedom than forgiving the offender whose intent was to destroy you. Whether they accept the forgiveness or not is irrelevant. Your only responsibility is to pardon them while hoping; for nothing but the best for them. Leave them in the hands of God and go on and be whom He created you to be. Once you forgive them, they have no hold on you even when they say you cannot make it without them.
Colossians 3:12-13, ESV tells us to; the NLT uses the phrase make allowances. It means to be patient and endure something you think is unbearable or at least difficult. To understand this, look at how the Bible instructs us to dress. Verse 12 tells us to put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. As believers, Christ expects us to exemplify what He does. We must wear forbearance like it is our lifeline. I am not saying to allow sin to run rampant and out of control. Nor does He expect us to put up with unbecoming behavior and pass it over as if it is nothing. People need to be held accountable for their actions. Likewise, they also require us never to compromise our principles but to always respond in love. Love covers the multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8).
So, what the world needs is for us to take part in their healing through an act of forgiveness. We can share our story of how we endured the offense without retaliating but following the example of Christ because He is tolerant, gracious, and long-suffering with us. Otherwise, hurt people will continue to hurt people. Still, only; hurt but healed people help heal people. Can you imagine how incredible this world will be if you infest the wounded with the healing power of God? Beloved, which will you be? Will you be the person who continues to harm others? Will you be the healed person who heals others? Or will you be the one who was hurt, and God healed, and now you help heal hurt people? I chose the latter and I have seen God set the hurting free. Like me, He gave them beauty for ashes.
I pray the song, Hope Returns by Matthew West stirs your heart and ushers you to the road to recovery.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Love Covers A Multitude of Sin
TIME FOR REFLECTION: We do not have to allow our pain to destroy us. What recovery tools has this devotional given you to help you heal and to help others receive healing?
Please help me encourage somebody today. Share how this inspirational reading encouraged and inspired you. Leave your comment, hit that heart, and share. Thank you kindly.
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