Smashed Victim
After a weekend away, we returned home yesterday to find this:
Obviously, someone seemed to find humor in smashing our 1 year old mailbox, causing our mail to get saturated from the rain and blow around the neighborhood. I know it's a small act of vandalism, but the experience still left me feeling violated, angry, and wanting justice. In my mind, it feels ridiculous that my hard-working husband has to pay for a new mailbox, while an somewhere out there an immature, bored individual gets away with this "hilarious" action.
Living in a fallen world, it's a fact we all face daily. People are going to hurt us with their words and actions. We make mistakes. We live with regrets. We will feel angry and desire justice.
This week I will celebrate both Mother's Day and my 10 year wedding anniversary. In both my parenting and my marriage, I make plenty of mistakes. There are many days my impatient and selfish ways win over my patient and giving ways. Sometimes anger and frustration win over love and grace. It would be easy to live a life of bitterness, regret, and self-condemnation. That is the life of bondage Satan desires for us to live.
But, an abundant and joy-filled life is one that lives in forgiveness. I am grateful for children who forgive and forget. The grace they offer in their innocence is one of purity and love. I am thankful for a husband who forgives and loves me unconditionally. Forgiveness is a choice; and when we offer and extend it to those who have hurt us we can experience one of God's greatest blessings of freedom.
Freedom from anger.
Freedom from regrets.
Freedom from injustice.
Freedom from the bondage of unforgiveness.
As a teenager, I was often reminded to pray for those who hurt me. It's through that humility and grace that God often changed my heart before changing my offender. So, today I am recognizing that I am not perfect and I often make mistakes. I am setting aside my anger and desire for justice. I am choosing to pray that guilt and conviction would change the heart of my offender.
Perhaps you are carrying hurt today, too. Maybe you are victim to someone's harsh words or uncaring attitude. It's likely you are resisting the call to forgive. But I urge you to surrender the bitterness, the anger, and the deep hurt. Trade it in for freedom, blessings, and healing. Romans 3:23-24 reminds us "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is found in Christ Jesus." Through Jesus' death on the cross, we are offered forgiveness for every sin we ever commit. How can we possibly accept that forgiveness without extending it to others who have hurt us?
So trade in your "smashed victim" status and choose to forgive and forget. Let Christ's healing power restore and rebuild you into a strong a mighty vessel that He can use for His glory!
Obviously, someone seemed to find humor in smashing our 1 year old mailbox, causing our mail to get saturated from the rain and blow around the neighborhood. I know it's a small act of vandalism, but the experience still left me feeling violated, angry, and wanting justice. In my mind, it feels ridiculous that my hard-working husband has to pay for a new mailbox, while an somewhere out there an immature, bored individual gets away with this "hilarious" action.
Living in a fallen world, it's a fact we all face daily. People are going to hurt us with their words and actions. We make mistakes. We live with regrets. We will feel angry and desire justice.
This week I will celebrate both Mother's Day and my 10 year wedding anniversary. In both my parenting and my marriage, I make plenty of mistakes. There are many days my impatient and selfish ways win over my patient and giving ways. Sometimes anger and frustration win over love and grace. It would be easy to live a life of bitterness, regret, and self-condemnation. That is the life of bondage Satan desires for us to live.
But, an abundant and joy-filled life is one that lives in forgiveness. I am grateful for children who forgive and forget. The grace they offer in their innocence is one of purity and love. I am thankful for a husband who forgives and loves me unconditionally. Forgiveness is a choice; and when we offer and extend it to those who have hurt us we can experience one of God's greatest blessings of freedom.
Freedom from anger.
Freedom from regrets.
Freedom from injustice.
Freedom from the bondage of unforgiveness.
As a teenager, I was often reminded to pray for those who hurt me. It's through that humility and grace that God often changed my heart before changing my offender. So, today I am recognizing that I am not perfect and I often make mistakes. I am setting aside my anger and desire for justice. I am choosing to pray that guilt and conviction would change the heart of my offender.
Perhaps you are carrying hurt today, too. Maybe you are victim to someone's harsh words or uncaring attitude. It's likely you are resisting the call to forgive. But I urge you to surrender the bitterness, the anger, and the deep hurt. Trade it in for freedom, blessings, and healing. Romans 3:23-24 reminds us "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is found in Christ Jesus." Through Jesus' death on the cross, we are offered forgiveness for every sin we ever commit. How can we possibly accept that forgiveness without extending it to others who have hurt us?
So trade in your "smashed victim" status and choose to forgive and forget. Let Christ's healing power restore and rebuild you into a strong a mighty vessel that He can use for His glory!
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