Whether you like it or not people are going to hurt you.
Not strangers that you don’t know.
Not mere acquaintances that you could care less about.
No… people that you love.
People that you look up to.
People that you would do anything for.
Sometimes they will hurt you out of jealousy, out of anger, or out of their own hurt.
They may betray you in ways you never imagined.
They may just merely walk out of your life and never come back.
And from that moment on you have a very important choice to make.
A choice that will determine your future.
The choice is to be bitter and hold on to the pain of the past.
Or to forgive and move on to the hope of a better future, with or without the person that hurt you in it.
You can’t change the past and what the person did to you.
But you have the power to change your future by forgiving and moving on.
Even if that person never takes the time to apologize.
Even if that person walks away and never looks back.
“Life becomes easier when you learn to accept the apology you never got” –Robert Brault
To hold on to bitterness is to choose to be trapped in a prison of hurt and hate that never allows you to move on.
But you have the key to unlock the prison door.
You have the power to forgive and walk away.
There’s a great man in the Bible who shows us exactly how to do it.
The funny thing is that the betrayal that took place in his life made him end up in an actual prison.
But although he was locked up in a prison cell he was not trapped in a prison cell inside his heart of bitterness, resentment, or hate.
Although he had every right to be mad at the world, to hate his brothers for selling him out of jealousy, to question God… he instead chose to take the high road.
He forgave them, even in that prison cell.
And he lived a life of free of bitterness and free of hate.
The man’s name is Joseph (in case you haven’t figured out yet).
And it was his own flesh and blood that first left him to die, then sold him into slavery.
And yet years later when they meet him face to face again for the first time Joseph tells them that he has not only forgiven them but also that what they meant for harm God used for his own good at the end (Genesis 45: 4-7).
God’s Word never says what exactly it is that Joseph did in that prison cell for all those years.
But it’s clear that he wasn’t devising a plan of how to get his brothers back for the pain they caused him.
They had taken everything away from him.
His future.
His family.
His life.
But he learned to forgive and move on.
And so can you and I.
Maybe someone you love has betrayed you like Joseph’s brothers betrayed him.
Maybe they broke your heart into a million pieces.
Maybe they took away a part of the future you had planned.
Maybe they hurt you physically, emotionally, and mentally and all you have left to show for it is terrible memories and old scars.
Maybe they never accepted you or treated you right.
Maybe they did everything they could to belittle you, to break you, and to tear you apart.
And you have every right to be bitter.
To be angry.
To want to hurt them back.
But you can choose to do something better… you can forgive them and leave them no more space in your mind and your heart.
You can choose to be free from bitterness, from resentment, from grudges, and from hate.
You can choose to take the high road and simply leave the past behind you and move on.
You can choose to forgive the unimaginable things people hurt you with by leaving it at Jesus’ feet at the cross.
By not allowing your mind to be filled with negative unwholesome thoughts.
By not dwelling on what went wrong.
God can heal your heart.
He can comfort you in your pain.
He can help you learn to forgive and move on with your life.
But not if you keep holding on.
So today… choose to let go.
Let go of the pain people caused you.
Let go of the past that is already behind you.
Let go of the bitterness that wants to reside inside of you.
Surrender it all into Christ’ hands and with His help, move on.
Move on into hope.
Into freedom.
Into victory.
Just like Joseph did.
Be blessed and walk strong in Him! -Anna… ♥
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32
Wow!!! I have really been processing some things for the past couple of months and how to rid myself of them before entering the new year. I don’t want to carry that old baggage over with me. The last “hurt” broke something within me but thanks to reading this today I can let it not be my continual story. I actually had erected what I have coined a wall of indifference. Been tearing that wall down. Thanks again for the word today.
I think I’ve created that wall of indifference before and although it seemed to “protect” me for a little while more than anything it kept me from letting people into my life that did care for me.
It’s tempting to carry that old baggage everywhere we go and allow the same story to keep on repeating itself but I believe that with God’s help we can let go of absolutely everything that holds us back from having that true freedom, peace, and joy that is only found in Him.
May He give the you the patience and strength to tear that wall down and to allow Him to restore you fully and give you what you need to start over once again! Stay strong and be blessed!
The letting go is the hardest part, but if we don’t the pain will surely eat us up. There has to come a time when we stop living as the victim of someone else’s actions.
Great post.
Thanks Ali. “There has to come a time when we stop living as the victim of someone else’s actions.” I think this is one of the most profound thing I’ve ever read!
God’s been teaching me from my early years how important it is to not allow the circumstances in life and the way people treat (or mistreat) me to determine the attitude I will have and the life I will live. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Be blessed! 🙂
Such an important message, Anna! Great post!
Thank you Rebeca. 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Be blessed!!
This is excellent and oh so true! Blessings, Natalie 🙂
Thank you Natalie. 🙂 Have a lovely Monday!
This is a great message. Thank you so much, you have a great gift words. Blessings
Thank you Ann. It really is, isn’t it? Joseph’s story of forgiveness is such a true reflection of Christ’s forgiveness and grace for all of us on the cross. It’s encouraging to read about men and women from the Bible who reflect God’s heart in such an incredible way! I only hope I can do the same with my life today.
One of the major points of progress I’ve made in my faith over the years is learning not to hold a grudge. It’s still a work in progress – there are times when random things from the past come back to haunt me – but God is faithful to help me with that when it happens. 🙂
I think we’re all a work in progress when it comes to this area of our life. But I am so grateful that God lovingly steps in and helps us let go of past hurts and grudges so that we’ll never allow them to hold us captive in a prison of resentment and unforgiveness. 🙂 He is always faithful! Have a blessed day Emily!
Such a good post! Your word have a way of speaking so much volume! I’ve learned this the hard way recently. It is tempting to look inward but I love the freedom that comes from forgiving.
Thank you Natalie. It really is tempting to keep on going back to old pain and allowing it to get in the way of living our life in joy and peace in the present moment, but with Christ we can find that hope and freedom to let go, move on, and not allow it to affect us anymore. Thank you for stopping by. 🙂 Be blessed!
Such a powerful reminder of how important letting go is. This is something I have been struggling with a lot lately and this post felt like it was written specifically to me! You have a great way with words and a tremendous voice! Please keep the posts coming!
Adam
I’m so glad this was the reminder that you needed Adam. Letting go is a struggle for all of us. But sometimes those things we hold on to so tightly hinder us rather than help us in our walk with Christ. It’s so important to surrender everything into His hands and know that He alone can bring us that freedom and peace we are searching for. Be blessed!
Great post Anna, thanks for sharing! Right on!
Thanks Dan. Be blessed!!
Forgiving somebody who hurt us we give him a chance to change and learn from his mistakes. Letting this person go we unfetter our mind from prejudices of every kind.
So true. Forgiving really is the best thing we can do not only for the person we are forgiving but also for ourselves!