Healing Your Heart

Have you ever found yourself rehearsing the pain from your past? You may find yourself reliving painful events or recalling former conversations wishing you had said everything that was on your mind. We all process pain differently, but rehearsing painful memories from our past keeps us bound to what we so desperately wish to escape.

Rehearsing our pain means that we are reciting and recounting the hurt that we have experienced over and over again. Do not play into the hand of the enemy. He only wants to keep you living a life of bitterness, stress, and resentment. He desires to bring division and strife between you and the individual when God is calling us to fully forgive and recover our peace and joy in Him.

The Bible says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31,32).

You may find it difficult to go through this journey of allowing God to deal with the bitterness in your heart. I understand that you may legitimately feel that you have a reason to remain bitter because someone sinned against you. But harboring bitterness and resentment in your heart is self-defeating and sinful. If you allow them to fester and take root in your heart, they will destroy you (Galatians 5:19-21).

God deals with the matters of our hearts. What is in your heart that you need him to mend? Whether it is something that happened long ago or something that happened last week, He will heal you. God wants to bring us to a place of forgiveness, healing, and love.

The Bible says, “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:14,15).

If you find yourself struggling to be free from bitterness and resentment, ask God to forgive you and ask God to forgive those who offended you. “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14,15).

Allow God to cleanse your heart and your mind, releasing you from the harmful memories of hurt and pain. When we diligently seek God in prayer and read His word on forgiveness, God will remove the sting of our past. Let us choose love over bitterness and unforgiveness because love covers a multitude of sins.