A very good point Ned. You know what really happens in life isn't so much
an issue compared to what we believe has happened. For instance if I told
you that a man came today with a tow truck and outright just took my car
from my driveway, broad daylight even, just hooked it up and took it.
You'd think, "Wow! How'd he get away with that? Geesh people will do
anything these days". It would mean a whole different thing if you knew I
called them to bring it to the garage for fixing. Sometimes a lack of
information leaves holes which we like to fill and sometimes we fill them
with negative hurtful assumptions and sometimes we fill them with positive
assumptions, and it is at that point what the actual reason or occurrence
was, really doesn't matter, what we believe to have occurred is what
matters to our own emotional health. The old half full and half empty
glass sort of comes into play as we try to guide our lives ourselves
towards a positive solution and resolve our feeling bad or hurt. And what
of a hurtful thing said to or about us by another? We most naturally want
to be liked and appreciated by others and when that does not occur,
we are hurt or feel bad. but does that make us unappreciated by all?
Disliked by all? Do we really need to be liked or appreciated by that
person to live happily? What might we do in such a situation. Pray for
forgiveness of that person perhaps, for they know not what they really
have done. That is ultimate healing. Or pray for revelation of why we
felt the way we have felt upon such a hurtful occurrence. Is it really
that person who hurt us, or a reflection of something else which brought
this feeling in the first place. Sooner or later hurts are originated
somewhere, and whether that point be right at the immediate time, or when
your bestest whole friend in the whole wide world as a youngster, a kid
who you trusted and loved confessed he didn't like you anymore and broke
your heart to smithereens, and now this person, another friend, just
yesterday eluded to that fact somehow and exhumed all that hurt from years
ago, or you interpreted that comment as such accurately or inaccurately,
it doesn't matter. What matters is what you believe in that moment. No
matter what the case God can resolve it through not only his love but as
well through reasoning out or revealing the truth within us. There has
been many times which the words uttered by Christ... "forgive them Father
for they know not what they do", has been an icon of example in hurtful
situations. If one dissects the situation and whittle down to the nitty
gritty of an event of hurtful nature, one can find comfort in knowing that
person really likely did not know to the extent they caused such hurt.
Even if it was a target, an arrow deliberately thrusted at me, for
purposes of hurt, I can still take comfort in knowing they do not know
my past, my history, to what level of hurt I might interpret that action.
Perhaps they just wanted to get even a little bit, and said a little snide
remark, unknown to them it cut to the quick because of a similar comment
in my past that dealt with a deeper hurt which the situation or epicenter
of hurt may not even be related in nature. As well what about their own
past? For example John Cooey (spelling???) who abducted, sexually
molested, and murdered the 9 year old Florida girl. So wrapped up in his
own issues, illness, lies, and demented belief system, he could not see
the hurt and agony resulting from his action. He knew what it would mean
in a shallow like manner in his head, but obviously so far from God's word
and truth he could not see the heart issue or lack of love, compassion and
truth. Obviously he is following an enemy of God, and he now finds
himself punished as a result of his relented choice to shun God and follow
the enemy so much so, that realizing the act he has done, does not shake
him out of his self-satisfying stupor and wake up to remorse and change
his belief. Conversely the man in Georgia responsible for murder who
turned himself in without incident with help from the Christian woman,
stood watching the news showing the remnant of his actions and said "I
can't believe I did that". Our minds our powerful gifts from god, the
enemy knows that and thus works on it to try to defile our behavior and
following of God. Be it so little as to take offense and begin to build
up a collection of them and eventually become a bitter hardened unloving
person or on larger scales of those who make the news as today, another
school shooting here in nearby Minnesota.
It is what we believe that causes us to do what we do, and react how we
react, this is why faith is so important because if it was just a matter
of being born again and our spirit changed, what need would there be for
god to inspire Paul, James, Peter and etc. to preach on our behavior, and
discipline of our minds or renewing of the mind. What we believe matters,
whether it is truth or fallacy, and we will react to what we believe.
Brad
on 09:16 AM 3/22/2005, Ned Benton said:
Lelia,
I hope that is what happened too. If you just believe that is what
happened, you are freed from the concern.
Ned
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