So Much Hurt On This Forum

[KeptByTheWord]

I am just now catching up on this post from yesterday, and wanted to add my $0.02 for what it's worth....

Sam, I agree, if we could have a like button, I would hit that button for Sis. Alvear's post, and Bro. Eply's post ... amazingly one of the few times I really agree with him..

I grew up in an apostolic establishment that connected legalism with salvation, and it has taken about fifteen years for me to walk slowly away from that crowd to where I am today.

You can let the hurts pile up, and they will become rotten and bitter to your soul....

Or you can, as Bro. Epley said, use them as stepping stones to something better....

And I know that this is what God has done for me. He has gently led, and guided me away from the sorrows, and hurts of the past into a place with Him now where there is a peace in knowing that my salvation does not depend on what I wear, but my salvation is a heart matter. The Holy Spirit is my teacher, and my guide, and my comforter, as Jesus said would be, not necessarily a pastor.

I have learned that the five-fold ministry is there to encourage, and support, and strengthen us, but never are they to take the place of Jesus in our lives, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is our teacher and our guide, and if we are truly walking in the Spirit, and the Word is in our hearts, we will walk pleasing to our Master and Saviour, Jesus.

There once was a lot of hurt in my heart towards a pastor, and members of my family. But one day while in prayer, this scripture came to me:

Matthew 5:44
44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.


The Lord showed me that I needed to completely forgive those in that situation, and that a truly forgiving spirit would pray earnestly for the very ones who had hurt me.

I began to pray and intercede for those involved with the situation I had grown up in, and over a period of time, those hurts healed, and I was able to go on with my life. I still to this day pray for those people. My name is still mentioned over that pastor's pulpit to this day, and my mother, brother, and other family members sit there and listen to it, but I have been released from that hurt, PRAISE GOD. I pray for all of them that someday God would be able to bring them to the same place He has brought me, with a healing work of repentance and love, and help them to see that preaching and proclaiming bitterness and old hurts brings no gain, but only pain.

I have done my part in forgiving that pastor, and I pray for him. I know it is the only way to completely be released from the hurts of the past.

Only Jesus can do this kind of work. Only Jesus can take the pain and hurt that we have suffered, and change it into something greater, and I am thankful every day that walking with HIM is the sweetest place to be on this earth.

And, I would not trade the journey I have walked, because without the clouds, there would be no rainbow. Without the death of Christ, there would be no resurrection. Without death, there would be no life.

It is in the deepest, and darkest places of our lives that sometimes the sweetest blessings flow.

I am thankful most of all for Jesus who has brought life to me out of the hurts, disappointments, and failures of other humans. He has shown me that you can walk above the shadows here on this earth, just as He did while here on earth.

We CAN be overcomers, through Christ alone. Not on our own strength, or abilities, but through His blood, and His love, we can OVERCOME.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

I am just now catching up on this post from yesterday, and wanted to add my $0.02 for what it's worth....

Sam, I agree, if we could have a like button, I would hit that button for Sis. Alvear's post, and Bro. Eply's post ... amazingly one of the few times I really agree with him..

I grew up in an apostolic establishment that connected legalism with salvation, and it has taken about fifteen years for me to walk slowly away from that crowd to where I am today.

You can let the hurts pile up, and they will become rotten and bitter to your soul....

Or you can, as Bro. Epley said, use them as stepping stones to something better....

And I know that this is what God has done for me. He has gently led, and guided me away from the sorrows, and hurts of the past into a place with Him now where there is a peace in knowing that my salvation does not depend on what I wear, but my salvation is a heart matter. The Holy Spirit is my teacher, and my guide, and my comforter, as Jesus said would be, not necessarily a pastor.

I have learned that the five-fold ministry is there to encourage, and support, and strengthen us, but never are they to take the place of Jesus in our lives, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is our teacher and our guide, and if we are truly walking in the Spirit, and the Word is in our hearts, we will walk pleasing to our Master and Saviour, Jesus.

There once was a lot of hurt in my heart towards a pastor, and members of my family. But one day while in prayer, this scripture came to me:

Matthew 5:44
44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.


The Lord showed me that I needed to completely forgive those in that situation, and that a truly forgiving spirit would pray earnestly for the very ones who had hurt me.

I began to pray and intercede for those involved with the situation I had grown up in, and over a period of time, those hurts healed, and I was able to go on with my life. I still to this day pray for those people. My name is still mentioned over that pastor's pulpit to this day, and my mother, brother, and other family members sit there and listen to it, but I have been released from that hurt, PRAISE GOD. I pray for all of them that someday God would be able to bring them to the same place He has brought me, with a healing work of repentance and love, and help them to see that preaching and proclaiming bitterness and old hurts brings no gain, but only pain.

I have done my part in forgiving that pastor, and I pray for him. I know it is the only way to completely be released from the hurts of the past.

Only Jesus can do this kind of work. Only Jesus can take the pain and hurt that we have suffered, and change it into something greater, and I am thankful every day that walking with HIM is the sweetest place to be on this earth.

And, I would not trade the journey I have walked, because without the clouds, there would be no rainbow. Without the death of Christ, there would be no resurrection. Without death, there would be no life.

It is in the deepest, and darkest places of our lives that sometimes the sweetest blessings flow.

I am thankful most of all for Jesus who has brought life to me out of the hurts, disappointments, and failures of other humans. He has shown me that you can walk above the shadows here on this earth, just as He did while here on earth.

We CAN be overcomers, through Christ alone. Not on our own strength, or abilities, but through His blood, and His love, we can OVERCOME.

Amen!!

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by ILG

One thing that happened to me and I think happens to many who are hurt in the UPC is that the hurt is never validated. It is always diminished, blamed on you and you are told to "get over it". When this happens, true healing can never take place because it amounts to denial of the problem. The real problems are never admitted to and dealt with so, in order to retain a person's sanity, they often leave.

The bottom line is that it is up to the hurt to be healed those are percieved as those who hurt you(whether real or imagined) are not going to help you get healed. I am determined to be well emotionally so I cannot allow myself to remain hurt. I have the power to get well through all God provides. Sadly some folk relish in being hurt it is their excuse to be miserable and spread it to others.(not in anyway implying anyone here is doing this but it is a fact.)

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

The bottom line is that it is up to the hurt to be healed those are percieved as those who hurt you(whether real or imagined) are not going to help you get healed. I am determined to be well emotionally so I cannot allow myself to remain hurt. I have the power to get well through all God provides. Sadly some folk relish in being hurt it is their excuse to be miserable and spread it to others.(not in anyway implying anyone here is doing this but it is a fact.)

Some people do like to stay in their hurt, that is a fact. Some people like to continuously whine and never change themselves or their environment in order to better themselves.

On the flip-side though, is a group of people who, whenever someone is actually hurt and many times deeply so, want to deny it ever took place because if they admitted the hurt was the way it really was, they may have to change.

Both things are true, right?

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

The truth is life is made up of hurts. We all get hurt and sadly we all hurt someone else. Some hurts we cause are through ignorance not malice. Others we hurt simply because we are human. When hurt we all have a choice to nurse the hurt until it becomes terminal or use it as a steppingstone to better things ahead.

I think we are all guilty of being hurt and of hurting others.

It goes beyond ignorance when it seems that a pastor makes it his business that people who leaves the church he pastors is not welcomed in any other church. That is malice.

[Sam]

There have been times in my life when I have had bitterness and bad feelings toward others. I have found that if I pray for them, the bitterness and desire to see them hurt goes away. Some times it takes a while for it to go away.

[Michael Phelps]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

The truth is life is made up of hurts. We all get hurt and sadly we all hurt someone else. Some hurts we cause are through ignorance not malice. Others we hurt simply because we are human. When hurt we all have a choice to nurse the hurt until it becomes terminal or use it as a steppingstone to better things ahead.

Post of the day, in my opinion. Well said, EE.

[Michael Phelps]

Originally Posted by Cindy

I think when people realize that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, then it can be treated. Until then, you are treating symptoms, not the cause.
After my daughter and son died, I really thought I wanted to die, of course I was put on medication to treat this symptom. So, I spent time I should have been grieving in a fog. Didn't interact with my family or friends, I really don't know how they were taken care of for at least a year. When I really came to or became aware of myself, I weighed 82 pounds. That shook me up enough to start eating again, to live. Finally was delivered from my addiction to the drugs I was on. Then joy as I became pregnant again, and delivered a healthy baby.
One thing I have learned is, happiness is a choice. I cannot blame anyone but myself if I am not.
I have also been blessed with wonderful children, and awesome grandchildren.
Although I do go through low points in my life, somehow I know it doesn't last forever, and I do know God gives me strength for each day.

Great post, Cindy...........very moving.......

[BroJoe]

I'm concerned about the one's that have been so hurt, they have allowed the hurt to become bitterness.

The hurt has dictated what they believe and they masquerade it as "enlightenment".

They don't need a preacher. They need a minister.

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by BroJoe

I'm concerned about the one's that have been so hurt, they have allowed the hurt to become bitterness.

The hurt has dictated what they believe and they masquerade it as "enlightenment".

They don't need a preacher. They need a minister.

I don't think I have ever heard it put in this fashion but I like this.

You see, people do not see all the other hurts that may have happened to an individual before the straw that broke the camel's back so to say...

Most people do not care what happened to folks before they found Christ. Some people live horrendous lives of sin. Some have been victims of horrendous crimes. Everybody's internal constitution is different. Some are weaker than others. People who tell others to just get over it simply do not know what they are talking about. It is callous. It is insensitive and it is harmful to just make quip statements like "get over it" to others without even knowing where they come from.