Don’t allow the painful feelings of your past to ruin your future.
The world today is full of people who are suffering from emotional pain. The cause is often abuse, rejection, abandonment, betrayal, disappointment, judgment, criticism or other negative behavior by others. This emotional pain can be more devastating than physical pain because people feel that they have to hide it and pretend it isn’t real.
They know that many people find it easier to be understanding and sympathetic about physical ailments than emotional ones. But the truth is that our emotions are part of our makeup, and they can become sick like any other part of us.
If you have an emotional wound in your life, you need to know that Jesus wants to heal you. Don’t make the mistake of thinking He is interested only in your spiritual life. Jesus wants to heal you everywhere you hurt!
The Bible teaches that He came to heal our wounds, to bind up and heal our broken hearts, and to give us beauty instead of ashes and the oil of joy instead of mourning (see Is. 61:1-3).
Though it is true that Jesus wants to help us, we must do our part, even while we are still hurting. God’s Word shows us how we can be free, but getting there requires making choices that may not be easy or seem fair.
For example, being good to someone who has hurt us in the past is emotionally and mentally painful. And we often have to do the right thing for a long time before we begin seeing results. If someone has hurt us, and we are bitter about it, that person is still causing us pain.
Bitterness is a negative attitude that steals our joy and peace. It is difficult and painful, but if we are willing to press past the pain by doing right and making a decision to forgive, healing will eventually come, and we will begin to experience freedom.
God is not glorified by our suffering, but He is glorified when we have a good attitude during our suffering. When someone has hurt us, choosing to do what’s right is not easy, but it contributes to ending our pain. As long as we stay angry, we keep our pain.
Why would we choose to remain bitter, angry and wounded while those who have hurt us are not even aware that we are hurting? A better choice is to forgive. When we are willing to pray for and bless those who have hurt us, the pain is swallowed up in love.
If you are overwhelmed by painful feelings, I encourage you to run to the one who can help–His name is Jesus! You have to need Him more than you need anything else. When it seems that your pain is more than you can stand, run quickly to the Lord for help and healing.
Go to His Word and find the promises that will strengthen, encourage and enable you to do the right thing. God’s Word is powerful, and when you release your faith in His Word, that power is released in your life to help you. You should also pray regularly and specifically for strength to stand firm in the will of God.
Another part of the healing process is to set your mind, and keep it set, on things above, not on things of the earth (see Col. 3:2). You must be armed with right thinking, or you will give up during hard times.
Set your mind and be fully aware that moving from being a victim to being a victor will not be a quick process. It will take time, but your experience will make you stronger and enable you to help others who are facing similar battles.
Get started today! Don’t allow the painful feelings of your past to ruin your future. Press through to victory.
Get excited about your future and realize that “going through” something means that you will come out on the other side with a victory that cannot be taken away from you.
Be determined! Stop wishing things were different and do your part to make them different. You cannot do anything apart from God, but by cooperating with Him you can overcome the pain of past feelings and have a victorious life–now and in the future.
Joyce Meyer is an internationally recognized minister and author of more than 60 books, including the best sellers Beauty for Ashes and Battlefield of the Mind (Warner Faith), and her most recent, Approval Addiction (Warner Faith, 2005). She is the founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries Inc. and the host of Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide.
