may 2

it's worth repeating that "others can wound you, but no one can destroy you without your permission and cooperation."

probably everyone that will read this blog has been hurt by somebody at sometime. it may have even been someone you trusted completely. i can think of a few times that i was completely blindsided by a friend and it hurt me terribly. there have also been times i just felt wronged, and it hurt me to the core.

if we're not careful, we can drown in our hurts and unforgiveness, and turn into someone we don't even recognize anymore.

when i was first starting out in ministry, i felt like i had to defend myself against every single hurtful thing people said about me. i would get depressed for days because someone didn't like me or approve of me... i haven't been completely delivered from my "approval addiction", but it is much better than it was... God is my defender... and He can do a much better job defending me than I can do myself. Often, I just dig myself in a deeper hole when I open my mouth. So, I thank God that He goes before me and behind me.

Forgetting the hurts of the past is not easy... and there are times my mind wants to go back there, but I can't even give those thoughts a foothold, or else I will get stuck there. In those moments, I ask God to wash my mind again in His Word, and help me to see His goodness with with my eyes...

Have you been hurt? It probably won't be the last time... But the next time, you don't have to let it control you. You can choose to forgive, let God be your defender, and rest in the fact that He has your best interests at heart..

Blessings!