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Has your world shattered and left you with no hope for your marriage? If you need a listening ear, we would love to hear from you.
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When I lived in an unhappy situation, I had a recurring dream. I would be in the seashore town where I grew up, trying to go crabbing but never able to do so. I’d wake up feeling frustrated. When I prayed, God showed me that I longed to go back to the carefree days of my youth. As I accepted that I couldn’t do that, the frustrating dream disappeared.
We can’t go back to the past. We can’t undo the mistakes we made. Unfortunately, many live with guilt for years. But God provided a way of deliverance for us: First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
If our guilt is caused because of people we hurt, how can we be delivered from that oppressing memory? Well, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Take your burden of guilt to Jesus and let Him lift it from your shoulders and bring you rest. If there is any action you need to take you can rest assured that He will guide you and help you.
In the present, many people live burdened down by depression, defeatism, anger, and resentment. They may suffer from some handicap, some tragic loss, an abusive marriage, rage that has simmered in their hearts since childhood.
We can take the vicissitudes of life two ways: we can either allow them to make us angry, bitter, and frustrated, or we can rise above them with God’s help, love, and grace.
Our lives may be hampered by deep-down anger and hostility toward persons who hurt us when we were younger. This can hurt our present relationships. I once attended a Conference at which one woman’s test score revealed that her hostility almost went off the chart! “I don’t think I’m hostile,” she exclaimed angrily. Then she added, “But my family does!”
If our relationships are not right with others, let’s examine ourselves for old wounds and grudges. Let’s pray as King David did: “Cleanse me from secret faults.” As we forgive those who hurt us, healing will come. Easy? NO! But we can hold them up and say, “Lord, help me to forgive them and pray for them, as you said.” And He will.
Serving the Lord and others can lift us out of ourselves, out of grieving, sadness, and gloom—and make our lives worth living.
Although our past and present may have been clouded by unpleasant things, we can look forward to our futures with hope and joy! We can leave Romans 7 behind, as Paul did, with its pessimistic self-centeredness and defeat. At the end of that chapter Paul exclaimed, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25).
Paul moved then into Romans 8, his victory chapter, where he is seen living in the Spirit, instead of the flesh. There he exclaimed, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (vs. 37).
Ridding ourselves of the dead wood in our lives, dying to self and committing ourselves to the Lord, we step into the new life of love, peace, and joy that Christ promised us. Now we live for Him and others. We can press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).
Lord, please help me to live in Your love and shine for You. I want to lay up treasures in heaven. Thank you that I can look forward to enjoying everlasting life with You in a wonderful world of peace and joy! Work in me to heal my past and my present and may Your love flow through me to others. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Questions: Are you holding on to your past? Do you have deep-down anger and hostility toward persons who have hurt you in the past? How do you rid yourself of the dead wood?
About the Author Dr Muriel Larson
Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Triumph in Tragedy, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog
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Ok I have not been on here for months. This devotional really hit home I am struggling through life right now. I resent the fact that I can not trust my husband , even tho I have forgiven his affair , I resent the fact my mother died when I was 16 ( I am now 46) all these and other things I have given to God and still struggle with HELP
Tracy it is so nice to have you back. My heart aches for you for all the hurt and resentment you feel I wish I could just wipe it all away for you but you know there is one who can and it might not be instantaneously but I will put you on my pray list and pray daily for you that God will work continually in your life set you free.
Dear Heavenly Father I just bring Tracy before you right now, Lord you see all the resentment she is feeling inside and how she is struggling within to be free from all of this. Jesus I just pray in Your Holy Name that You would reach out right now and just take that resentment away, fill her full of forgiveness in replace of it. Lord Jesus wrap Your loving arms ever so tightly around her, help her to feel Your presence, fill her with Your Love, Joy, Peace, Encouragement , Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Just let Your peace and love radiate from her face and help her to be a changed person willing and available to be used of You in anyway You desire. I just Pray all these things In Your Name in Faith Believing, Amen! Hugs, Linda
i think everyone has a hard time dealing with hurt at some time or other
forgot to click the button
thank you Dr. Larson for today’s devotional. i can look back and reflect on my life before God and I could have easily filled this whole blog site with many of the issues you have dealt with here.
did my world shatter? yes. my marriage? i was carelessly tossing it aside. i hurt people who love me and I was hurt as well being abandoned as a very young child. the simmering bitterness, resentment, the anger was not in my relationship with my husband at first. but like a pot on low, it simmered for 18 years. revenge was the underlying constant thought. with my marriage teetering on the edge, i had to take myself to the well and examine whether i wished to continue the suppression or find out where my life went to. i choose to live, and with that determination, the Holy Spirit touched me. i haven’t looked back. the re-newed relationship with my husband is more beautiful than I sometimes think I deserve. when i rid myself of the dead wood, i was able to breath life back into the relationship with the Lord. because of His mercy and grace, I am here today celebrating this year two significant dates, the first being my 21st wedding anniversary and my 2nd BIRTH day, both in april. God does work in mysterious ways
tracy, hello, nice to meet you. the fact that you are struggling reflects the want for God to be an active part of your life. God bless.
I haven’t gotten any of these devo since this one. I signed up for these again, and still am not getting them. Tech support, please help. The devos aren’t going to the spam box.