Give God Your Hurts, Rick Warren

If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done. Matthew 6:14-15 (TEV)

"If somebody hurt you, let go of it, release them. That's one of the values of prayer. It helps you unload."In your life, you will be hurt by others; sometimes intentionally; sometimes unintentionally. How you handle that hurt determines your happiness.
When you bottle up hurt in your life and hold onto it - that is called resentment. If somebody hurt you years ago and you're still holding onto it, it will poison your life. For your own health and happiness, you must learn to forgive.

The Bible says forgive and be forgiven. In fact, Jesus says "if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done." (Matthew 6:15, TEV) They're inter-related.

It reminds me of the story - when someone told John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, "I just can't forgive that person! They hurt me too badly." Wesley's response was, "Then I hope you never sin."

For your own sake, let go of the past. If somebody hurt you, let go of it, release them. That's one of the values of prayer. It helps you unload. Forgiveness is the only way to get rid of the past. Forgive them and let it go. Get on with life. Forgiveness erases the videotape of that hurt memory that keeps playing over and over in your mind.

In my own marriage, the times I've felt closest to Kay, the times of most intimacy and oneness, have been times after a major blow-up. We've worked the thing through; we've both confessed to each other and asked forgiveness; and then we pray together. The oneness that comes out of that kind of experience just can't be explained.

When we let go of our hurts and forgive others we are reflecting the grace of our heavenly Father, who forgave us and continues to forgive us. It means we've given God our love; we've given God our lives; and, in doing that, we worship God.

"CAST YOUR BURDEN UPON THE LORD, AND HE SHALL SUSTAIN THEE"
PSALM 55:22

Just to encourage us all.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you"
(Ephesians 4:32, NIV)





In this day and age, it's easy to become distracted, almost consumed with all the obligations we have on a daily basis. Cell phones, computers, the internet have all made it so much easier to pack more into our days. And while technology is a great blessing to us, we have to remember that how much we get done isn't as important as how we treat others. We should never be so focused on plowing through our "to do" list that we mistakenly plow past the people in our lives.

I love this verse in Ephesians that simply reminds us to be kind, to be compassionate, to be forgiving. If people had to be reminded back in those times, how much more do we need to be reminded today! We should always be on the lookout for ways we can be kind to one another. Can you share a smile with someone or an encouraging word? Can you help meet a need?

Remember, as a believer, you are the hands and feet of Jesus in this earth. Look for ways to serve one another. Sow a seed and watch the harvest of blessing in your own life in return!



A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, thank You for another day to live for You. Help me find creative ways to show kindness to the people you've put in my life. Show me ways I can sow seed and be a blessing to others. Thank You for equipping me to be Your representative and live in victory in every area of my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.




"GREAT IS THE LORD AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED"
I CHRON. 16:25