Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)
A long time ago, someone I was close to hurt me. Their betrayal really rocked me and I seethed with a mix of anger, disappointment, and sadness.
When the initial boil of emotions settled down, I began to pray. I asked God what I should do. This person was important to me, to my whole family actually. Part of me wanted to cut them out of my life. But I felt like God was calling me to give them another chance, that He had placed them in my life for a reason.
It wasn’t easy. Once trust is broken, getting it back feels like trying to walk on a broken leg —painful, slow, frustrating, and oftentimes, impossible. At one point, I thought I had put it behind me, forgiven, if not forgotten. But it sat in the back of my mind, poisoning our relationship still.
So I prayed. For strength and for healing. Because I realized that I needed to stop looking back, as Paul said, and strain towards what is ahead. Strain. Not just walk or meander my way toward heaven, but push forward with all my strength.
Forgiving is essential to the healing process, for both our minds and our souls. But we shouldn’t forget. Not because we should hold onto the memories like I did, a bitter pill to be taken as regularly as a vitamin. But because we need to acknowledge that it happened, that we were hurt, that our relationship or friendship was broken and then put back together.
This is what God calls us to do, and it’s not easy. But through him, all things are possible. If you feel like something in your life is impossible, painful, or broken, pray for guidance and strength. Don’t let your emotions push you towards the wrong choice.
Make decisions that aren’t just good for your today, but also your tomorrow, and your eternity.
Leave a Reply