Scars of the Past

Joesph made a hasty exit because he was overcome with emotion for his brother and wanted to cry. Going into his private room, he wept there. Genesis 43:30

You may or may not know the story of Joesph, but this is a story of forgiveness and God's blessings. Joesph had due cause to seek revenge on his brothers. No one would have questioned that decision. If you have not read this story in quite sometime, I recommend that you take a few minutes to catch up and really feel the impact of that story.

There are many times when others in our lives have caused us pain or perhaps we were the ones that caused the pain and cannot find self-forgiveness. I offer this to you today. Though you cannot change the past, you can affect the future by your response to the wrong suffered by you or by your hands. You can feed the fire of bitterness and depression or you can hold your scars before God and ask for his grace to forgive others, including yourself, for what has happened.

Lord, I do not deny the pain that I have experienced and have caused, but by your grace I give you these painful wounds, no matter how deep they are. I realize that I am powerless to fix the past or to change others, and I also understand that your love can heal me. I give you my scars, O God, and I thank you for your peace and mercy and joy that will flourish within me in the absence of bitterness. Help me to see myself in that new light of your grace! In Jesus' name. Amen