| It comes ‘out of the blue’, ‘unexpected’ and with ‘incredible force’. One minute life is normal, the next is filled with pain, hurt and confusion. Your world becomes a veritable roller coaster of emotional conflicts that leave no explanation behind in their wake and no direction as to how to stop the ride. Then comes bitterness, maybe disguised as ‘self-preservation’, ‘justifiable reaction’ or just plain defense against further hurt. |  |
What to do? You could amputate the offending party from your life. That may stop the pain, - but doesn’t bring wholeness, something that was meant to be there will now always be missing. You could ‘pretend’ everything is ok, try and smile away the hurt and move on as though nothing has happened. But who does that fool, not yourself and not others either.
 | You see, you may have done nothing wrong, you might be in the ‘right’ and to all the bystanders, either of the above actions would be totally justifiable…that is…until you go to Calvary. You see, I had to visit Calvary very recently, this is not from a textbook or classroom training, . . . this is life. |
| As Christians we have a different paradigm on life and relationships. It’s not about ‘who is right and who is wrong’. Pretending is never an option and amputation is not the pattern laid out before us in the Holy Bible. |  |
When we go to Calvary we see forgiving love granted to US, yes US without any conditions, demands or residue of the past. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). This makes the path very clear.
I don’t have to spend the rest of my life ignoring that person and living life incomplete! I don’t have to ‘wear a smile’ when inside I am churned up and hurting! I CAN FORGIVE. …BUT, to do it, I need to remember how much I was forgiven. Juxtapose Calvary with the cause of attempted bitterness, and it will give you the strength to win, and walk away whole.
I don’t have to spend the rest of my life ignoring that person and living life incomplete! I don’t have to ‘wear a smile’ when inside I am churned up and hurting! I CAN FORGIVE. …BUT, to do it, I need to remember how much I was forgiven. Juxtapose Calvary with the cause of attempted bitterness, and it will give you the strength to win, and walk away whole.