but I’ve been hurt…

bitterness closes our mind. whenever we've been hurt and we hold on to those hurtful memories, it causes us to close our minds to GOD and we start saying things like, "GOD, why did you allow this? why is this happening to me? if you're such a loving and powerful GOD, why did this happen?"

please understand that not everything that happens in this world is GOD's will. HE has given us the freedom to choose. so people get hurt and what you do with that hurt will determine whether you become a better person or a bitter person.

what we tend to do is, "they hurt me so i'm going to close myself off, build up walls, hide in my shell, and i'm not going to let anybody get close to me. not even GOD, because GOD let it happen." so we start blaming GOD for things other people did to us and as a result, we close our mind.

now if you have been deeply hurt, let me say two things to you: one, i'm sorry you hurt. i really mean that. i'm sorry you hurt and GOD hurts with you. HE weeps with you. HE understands the pain you've gone through. HE went through pain when HIS SON was killed. but GOD has not promised to exempt us from pain.

two, when you are in pain and when you hurt, don't run from GOD, run to GOD.

when you run from GOD out of pain, you're running from the only person who can heal it. don't do it. don't turn from HIM. turn to HIM in your moment of crisis. turn to HIM with your hurt instead of holding it in. give it to HIM.

never allow any other human being or experience to block your relationship to GOD. that's dumb. even if they claim to be a CHRISTian and you've been hurt by that, give that hurt to GOD. don't turn off to GOD because somebody else did something to you. give it to GOD. don't close your heart and don't close your mind.

now the tragedy of that hard beaten road is, that it is barren. nothing can grow there. it's unfruitful. a bitter life is a wasted life. it only prolongs the pain.

instead, james 1.21 (ms), throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. in simple humility, let our gardener, GOD, landscape you with the word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

let GOD love you, drop your defenses and open up your mind.

just a thought from the front porch…