How do you forgive someone who has wronged you? Our Editor, Deborah, shares a personal struggle on the over simplified concept of forgiveness. God teaches us to forgive those who wrong us. While it may be hard to always follow God’s direction, the reward for our obedience is far greater than our momentary discomforts. Is there someone you need to forgive today?
Often times, it is easier to sweep things under the rug and cross your fingers that the hurtful memories will disappear in due time.But this never works.Eventually, the damage will come back and haunt you… if not now, then later.We, being sinful and broken human beings, make mistakes that frequently seep over into other areas of our lives, including areas that affect others.We say and do things that hurt people who we love and who love us.Easy for the person who did the damage, right?A simple, “I’m sorry” should do the trick.It is always the person who experienced the hurt that has additional healing and mending to do.The hurt one is always left with bruised feelings, frustration and the struggle of having to forgive the one who had inflicted such pain.If you think about it, it’s almost like losing out twice: you get stabbed by the hurt stick and then you are left with the sole responsibility of having to forgive and forget.I recently experienced how difficult it is to truly forgive.
Our friend, Kytia, parallels everyday circumstances, such as repairing a leak in the ceiling, to lessons that God teaches us, like healing our greatest pains from the inside out. Kytia’s testimony reminds us that God can use times of great sadness, confusion and struggle to break open our hearts and bring healing.
Recently, my husband and I had our first encounter with serious repairs to our apartment. Ever since the first time it rained while we were living on our own, we’ve been dealing with leaks here and there in our office. There was even an incident when I noticed a leak above my computer desk right before we were about to leave for a meeting. If we had left just a few minutes sooner, my keyboard might have been soaked by the time we returned home and that would have been a whole other problem.
Our own WitnessLA’s reader goes in depth on a problem we all face on a daily basis: sin and how to live victoriously despite life’s challenges. Our reader shares the importance of relying on God to be our guide in everyday activities, and to ask God today for the grace and wisdom to make the right choices tomorrow.
Why is sin such a bad thing?Ask ten people and you’ll get ten different answers.What does it even mean to sin?Religious people may define sin as rebellion against God’s Commandments.Others may say sin is anything you do that hurts yourself or others.A child might simply know sin as “doing bad stuff.”
In uncertain times, God’s grace and mercy shines brighter. Our Voice Alex shares.
Like most people I look at the events unfolding in front of our eyes: Earthquakes in Haiti, Japan, New Zealand; escalating situation in the Middle East; world-wide economic volatility and can’t help but think about end times. Actually the one thing that I think we can all agree on is that we are living in unprecedented times…
Reposted from World Vision: The following was captured by Katsumi Takagi, World Vision Japan, at a safe shelter in Minami Sanriku, one the hardest hit areas by the March 11 tsunami.
Sachie is the mother of one year and four month old Kouka (pictured above). She told World Vision Japan about the day when earthquake occurred. This is her story:
“Kouka was having a nap in the house when the earthquake occurred. I took Kouka right away and ran out side, but the earth was shaking for quite a long time.”
“[The ocean] was quickly overflowing… and the tsunami was approaching toward us. As I saw the size of the tsunami, I instinctively realized I wouldn’t survive if I stayed inside. So I carried Kouka again, and ran up the hill as fast as I could. When I reached the top of the hill, I saw my house was washed away by tsunami.”
Our friend Thomas shares an incredible story of physical healing… right before his eyes!
So, I’m gonna be completely honest, and say that I absolutely did not ever expect what happened to me yesterday to ever happen to me in my life! Never, ever! But the funny thing is, now that it happened, all I can think is that this kinda stuff needs to happen to me all the time, and in other people’s lives too! Pretty funny, huh? But before I even tell you what happened let me give you some background information.
Back in 2005, I got into one heck of a car accident. In the middle of a left turn, I was hit by oncoming traffic that ran the red light. My car literally exploded, and flew several feet back from the impact. I blacked out, and when I finally came through I remembered smelling battery acid and burning electrical wires.
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - Jesus Christ, John 13:35 (NIV)
Although not necessarily faith-related, this 2003 documentary shows through the unfiltered eyes of 10 year old schoolchildren in Japan what it means to have compassion and love for one another. Unlike adults, who have learned the ability to put up a front or deny their own feelings, the children in this documentary can’t help but show what it means, and it what it feels like, to be human. We could all learn a thing or two from them about how to truly show love and compassion to others as Jesus commanded us.
John Wesley once said “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” And as we all know, this has to start first with the heart.
Scars from the past can run deep. But God has a plan for redemption for all of us. Our friend Tayen shares her story of how knowing Jesus Christ helped her overcome pain, scars, questions and even her own poor choices.
