When things go wrong..

Corinthians 12:9 tells us that no matter what happens , His grace is enough for us. I have read this passage many times, and I thought I knew what it meant. This week, however, I needed this one just to survive each day- and I figured out what it *really* means.

Have you ever been hurt by someone you love and trust? I mean.. deeply, truly hurt by something that they did ? The kind of hurt that sends you reeling into a grieving process? I have lost both my mother and father , and have been to grief workshops and even went to a counselor for a year learning to deal with grief- so I recognize it when it hits.

Grief comes in stages ( they feel more like waves, at times) and the books all say that you have to go through each stage in order to heal. Denial is first ( this isn't happening), then anger ( HOW could this happen??) Depression, and finally acceptance- and at some point after acceptance, if you have gone through the other stages, you start to heal. Skip one of the stages, and buddy, you will be in trouble, because you will not heal, you will only sort of "scab" over and at some point the unresolved issues will raise up and cause problems.

There is no set timetable, everyone has their own, and sometimes even the steps don't go in that order- or you may find yourself "stuck" in one- which means you won't really progress to healing until you are done with that stage.

I don't know why I am writing all of this stuff, it sounds like something out of a text book... what I really wanted to do was point all of this back to Jesus.

When something makes me feel like I have felt the last week or so, I tell Him " This hurts me and I don't know how to handle it." He says " I have grace for you, for that. Let Me handle it for you." I tell Him " I am angry and I cannot possibly forgive this!! Do You see how I have been wronged??" He tells me " It isn't the first nor the last time- look at the scars on My palms. I have given you grace when you hurt Me, haven't I? You must give grace in My name, and be willing to forgive as you have been forgiven."

I tell Him " Lord.. I am so sad that I can't even think. I am worn out from talking , crying and trying to deal with this." He says " My grace is sufficient for you. Come to Me, and I will give you rest." Once I give in, and give it over to Him, then my healing starts. And so it is for all of us, if we will just surrender to Him.

I am making a choice today to focus on His goodness instead of things that hurt or make me angry or sad or feel hopeless. As a child of God, I have that option.

Praising a God Who makes that possible.

Cheryl