Emotions, hurts and forgiveness, Love...

We have to be so careful what we rehearse in our minds, what beliefs and feelings we allow ourselves to take hold of. There is such damage done by not giving people the benefit of the doubt, or by reading into other's words or actions what we think their motives are.

St. Paul pleads with the churches "do not allow a root of bitterness to spring up among you, to defile many" - bitterness spreads defilement, gossip, slander, malice, mistrust etc. If you have people that need your forgiveness - it is a matter of life and death for you to forgive them - "if you do not forgive your Heavenly Father will not forgive you". Whether or not they will accept it or even see the need for it, it is really necessary to forgive anyway for your own good!

Reconciliation can sometimes seem impossible, the hurts and history/memories/rehearsed wrongs can be too raw and painful to even go back into the same room with the person involved for a while.

My love language is words, I desperately need good words to feel loved, and any words which are spoken in a negative or hurtful way to me tend to leave deep scars like a sharp stick would leave a scar if used to inflict pain.

We all need to feel loved, everybody needs compassion, and "all have fallen short". That is where the power of forgiveness can shine - God's grace covers over a multitude of sin. Love covers, it does not expose.

Love is patient and kind, longsuffering, it never gives up, it always believes the best and rejoices with the truth. Speaking the truth in love does not mean speaking it from hurt, it means being gentle and kind, believing the best.

Fault finding or laying blame never solves problems, and accepting our own part in relational upsets can help bring healing where it is needed. Trust may be damaged, and patterns of interaction may be changed. Only a change of heart can bring full reconciliation - and only God is able to bring that about.

I have learned afresh the need to continue letting go of self and allow God to live in and work on me. These times of deep pain can have a cleansing effect. I have been repeatedly reminded that all things do work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes. So this is a promise I take hold of yet again, and I claim the good.

Love is stronger, higher, more pure and powerful than any evil or selfishness this world can throw at us. I will keep pressing into that Love, hiding in the cleft of the Rock, trusting Him to carry me through it all. Love never gives up.